Indelible
by Maetro
Summary: Abby doesn't like Ziva.  Doesn't want to like Ziva.  But, what if she can't help it? And what happens when she almost destroys that friendship? A look at the progression of the relationship between Abby and Ziva.  eventual femslash. Ch 22 16/11/10
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. The show and these characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds rights to them.

**Pairing: **Abby/Ziva

**Summary:**A look at the progression of Abby and Ziva's relationship. Eventual femslash.

**Spoilers: **There are indirect references to a number of episodes but nothing to specific.

**Timeline:** Starting with the dinner mentioned in Boxed In and spanning several seasons.

**Author's Note:** Abby's sudden change in behaviour towards Ziva has always bothered me. So I thought I'd take a stab at explaining it, femslash style.

**Rating:**G for now but that might change with later chapters.

**Chapter One**

Abby really hadn't wanted to come here. If Ziva had issued the invitation to her when the two of them were alone, she would have said no. But she hadn't, she'd asked Abby in the lab, while Gibbs was standing right there giving her that look. She'd had no choice but to say yes because he would have known she was lying if she said she had other plans. He would have known and been dissapointed and she didn't want to dissapoint him more than she already had.

Abby knew he didn't approve of her behaviour towards Ziva but he had yet to say anything about it. She didn't want to push him into feeling like he needed to step in and do something about it. Especially not when she was pretty sure she might not like what that something was.

For reasons that Abby could not even begin to fathom, Gibbs trusted Ziva. Liked her, even.

Which was why Abby had said yes and why she was now sitting on Ziva's sinfully comfortable couch with Timmy on one side and Ducky on the other, sipping wine and watching as Ziva played hostess to her guests while dinner cooked in the kitchen.

From the moment she stepped though the door, Abby had been thrown off balance by the Ziva she was before her. For one thing her apartment didn't look anything like the bunker she'd expected. It was comfortable and modern and cozy, if not a little impersonal. There were no family photos, no snapshots of friends and adventures or school trophies but there was eye-pleasing artwork on the walls and gently scented insence and throw pillows on the couch and a very cozy looking afgahan tossed across the back of one of the armchairs. The worn coaster and the book on the table next to it painted a picture of normalacy that Abby couldn't quite wrap her head around. She just couldn't reconcile the Mossad assasin with curling up on the armchair with a book and a cup of tea.

Another thing that was throwing her off was the amazing scent coming from the kitchen. It had hit her nose the moment she'd walked through the door. She still didn't know what it was but her mouth was watering in anticipation.

She was also finding it strange to witness Ziva joking with Jimmy, kindly encouraging Ducky into story after story and talking earnestly with McGee. Abby felt like she had stepped into an alternate universe, where everything was backwards and upside down. A world where she could possibly see what her friends saw in Ziva David. A world where she could maybe, possibly, see it for herself.

That's not to say that she was going to start liking the other woman. She had no intention of being friends with her. But she could probably stop hating her.

She had just come to this conclusion when Ziva took a seat on the couch next to her, in the spot McGee had vacated to take a look at the stereo system.

"Hello, Abby."

Abby nodded in her direction, not quite sure what to say to someone she didn't hate but didn't really like either.

"I am glad you came tonight."

'You said that already." That was what Ziva had said to her when she'd arrived this evening. It was the thing she'd said to her in the hour and a half she'd been here.

'It is something that I thought beared repeating."

Abby noddd. "Okay. Why?"

"Why?"

"Why are you glad I'm here?"

Ziva stared at her for a moment, face impassive, then let out a soft sigh. "It was not to fight with you," she said as she rose to her feet. 'If you will excuse me, I must go check on dinner."

Before Abby could protest, Ziva was halfway across the room. She hadn't meant the question as a challenge or antagonistically. She had merely been curious. There was no real reason why she had invited Abby.

She was just preparing to stand and seek Ziva out to apologize, to explain, when the other woman came back into the room carrying a ceramic dish and announced that dinner was ready.

Abby spent the rest of the night trying to catch a moment alone with Ziva but with so many guests in the small apartment she just couldn't find the opportunity for a quiet word. It seemed like every time she turned around there was somebody there.

She tried waiting everyone out, lingering until everyone had gone home but as the others started trickling out the door it appeared that Gibbs had no intention of leaving. He sat on the couch, sippping his coffee as Ziva said goodbye to first Ducky, then Jimmy, then McGee. Abby took the hint and headed for the door as well.

She stopped in front of Ziva and stared down at her, feeling awkward and uncertain as to what to say. Impulsively, she bent down and wrapped her arms around Ziva in a hug. She felt the other woman stiffen at the contact and remain still as Abby gave a gentle squeeze then pulled back.

"What was that for?"

"It was a thank you."

"A thank you?"

"Yes. Thank you. For inviting me. For a wonderful meal."

"Oh. All right."

Ziva nodded but Abby could tell from the bemused expression on her face that she didn't really get it. And she couldn't help but think it sad that the younger woman was so unfamiliar with the concept of hugs that she accepted one so awkwardly and then had to ask why she'd received it.

"Well, you are welcome."

"See you tomorrow."

Abby had to admit, it felt much better not hating Ziva than it ever had hating her.

And now that she wasn't hating her anymore she found that she worried much less about Tony and Tim knowing that Ziva, with all her crazy ninja skills, was watching their backs when they went out into the field. And Ziva did seem to fit in well, she respected Gibbs but didn't appear to be intimidated by him. She enjoyed talking with Ducky. She could trade inuendos and joke with Tony. She was kind to McGee and she was even nice to Jimmy. She hardly ever even called him an autopsy gremlin.

To be honest, Abby was starting to like her. She brought Abby flowers on her birthda and seemed genuinely concerned for her safety when she was being stalked. She'd even given her a taser.

It was just, sometimes she irritated Abby so much. The way everything seemed to roll off her, like nothing bothered her. It was just so infuriating. She couldn't understand how the other woman could be so calm, so emotionless. And sometimes she couldn't help it, she just snapped back to old habits and tried to take Ziva down with a cutting comment. Of couse, Ziva never retorted, which only made Abby try harder. She knew it was unfair but Ziva never seemed bothered by it.

Tony and McGee both kept telling her that it wasn't a good idea to needle the Mossad assasin but sometimes she couldn't help herself.

She knew she had gone too far this time though, even before Tony had called them both down to the bullpen to apologize.

She'd felt horrible for slapping Ziva the moment she'd done it. The sting on her hand nothing compared to the sting in her heart as she'd seen the stricken expression on Ziva's face, the flash of hurt in her eyes the moment before her hand had come up to Abby's cheek.

The slap hadnt even hurt that much. Not nearly as much as it should have, considering Ziva's strength and training. It was clear that she hadn't put much force into it and that should have caught Abby's attention. Should have broken through her thoughts. But, it hadn't and her own hand had come up again in automatic response.

By the time their little slap fight was over, Ziva's mask was back in place but Abby could not forget what she'd seen.

They'd shook on it, at Tony's insistance. And Ziva had accepted her hug but she'd gone back to the old Ziva, the one who stood there stiffly, arms barely returning the pressure before falling away rather than the Ziva of late, who, while still awkward, returned the embrace.

Abby knew that she had hurt Ziva and it made her wonder how many times she'd hurt her in the past without knowing it.

The elevator dinged as the doors slid open and Abby glanced up, then froze in place at the sight of Ziva David. Her eyes were glassy, as if she'd been crying and the hair framing her face was damp, as if she'd splashed water over her face to hide it. She didn't way a word to Abby as she stepped onto the elevator.

As soon as the doors had slid shut, Abby turned to Ziva, staring at the other woman's profile as the other woman stared straight ahead.

"My, God, Ziva, I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I wasn't thinking."

Ziva barely glanced over at her. She turned her head just far enough to be facing her general direction and said, "It is fine, Abby."

Then the doors slid open and she stepped out.

Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**:I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds the rights to them.  
**Pairing: **Abby/Ziva  
**Summary**:A look at the progression of Abby and Ziva's relationship. Eventual femslash.  
**Spoilers**: There are indirect references to a number of episodes but nothing to specific.  
**Timeline:** It starts in the third season and will span through to the sixth season.

**Chapter 2**

But it wasn't fine. That became clear rather quickly. The changes were subtle but they were there. Ziva was still friendly but also distant. She'd say goodmorning if they ended up riding together in the elevator or goodnight as they head for their cars in the parking garage but she no longer inquired about Abby's day or her plans for the evening.

She stopped having the team over for dinner, something that had become a regular thing over the past few months. She no longer came down to the lab by herself anymore either. When she did accompany the others down she rarely said anything and if she did speak, it was only work related. If the team went out for dinner or drinks she was pleasant, listening intently if Abby told a story and laughing at her jokes but she didn't engage in the usual banter.

Abby would have felt better if Ziva had yelled and ranted. Or even stopped talking to her all together. Anything would have been better than watching Ziva shut down like a freaking robot.

She was pleased that Ziva hadn't lost complete faith in her. It was a minor victory, but one none the less that the younger woman still seemed to respect her, professionally. She never questioned her findings, never implied that she wasn't good at her job. And, she was the one Ziva called when she was framed for that bombing.

It wasn't much but it showed that Ziva still trusted her at least on the most base level. That Ziva knew, despite the problems they were having, Abby would be there for her in the ways that mattered. It gave her hope that she might be able to gain the other woman's friendship back.

And, slowly she noticed things starting to shift back to the way they had been. About a month or so after Gibbs came back the dinners started back up again and even though the two women never really spoke to each other, the fact that Abby was invited meant a lot.

Three days after that, she was the one who called Abby and told her that she, Tony and McGee were going out for drinks after work and invited her to come along.

And a week or so later, Ziva came down to the lab by herself to drop off the evidence in their latest case. She even came with a Caf-Pow in hand.

It wasn't much but it was something.

The death of Lieutenant Roy Sanders prompted more of a change than Abby ever thought possible. When she offered Ziva an ear if she ever wanted to talk, she never really expected to be taken up on it. This was Ziva, after all. Even when they had been talking and spending more time together she had kept her thoughts and feelings to herself.

Which was why she was surprised when, two days later, Ziva came down to her lab at the end of the day with no apparent purpose. Gibbs' team had closed the case they'd been working on earlier that afternoon so there was no evidence to be processed and they didn't need Abby for any reports.

She spotted Ziva out of the corner of her eye, leaning in the doorway, just inside the lab. Abby paused in her work, waiting for Ziva to approach her or say something but the other woman remained standing, looking far away and a little lost. After several minutes of silence Abby strode over to stand in front of Ziva.

"Hey."

Ziva looked up and blinked slowly. It was the closest to looking startled as Abby had ever seen her.

"Everything all right?"

"I was heading out and I thought that maybe, if you had not eaten, you would like to catch a bite to eat?"

"Grab."

What?"

"Grab. Grab a bite to eat."

Ziva nodded. "Grab. Yes. Thank you."

The correction had come automatically, a year and a half long habit. But now that she had actually processed Ziva's words she was floored. This was the first time that Ziva had ever suggested the two of them do something. Even when they were on better terms, they hadn't spent much time, just the two of them. And when they did, it was always on Abby's invitation.

She realized that in her shock, she had yet to answer and Ziva was starting to look uncomfortable.

"I'd like that. Just give me a moment too.." she trailed off as she darted around the room, setting up a few scans and shutting down a few others. "All set." She returned to Ziva's side a moment later.

The ride up to the main floor and the walk out to the parking garage was quiet.

Abby suggested she'd drive and Ziva didn't argue. They climped into her car and made the drive downtown in a comfortable, but expectant silence.

Abby was dying to know what had prompted this unusual invitation but held her tongue. She had to be careful in drawing Ziva out. If she pushed to hard or too quickly the other woman might clam up and then she'd never know what was going on.

She drove them downtown and found street parking in an area with numerous deli's, cafe's and diners. There was a kosher place that she knew Ziva was quite fond of and by unspoken agreement, they headed towards there.

She waited until they'd walked a few blocks before she glanced over at Ziva and asked, "Is everything all right?"

Ziva nodded. "Physically, I am fine. I am not sick and yet I still feel..."

She trailed off as she glanced up at Abby, frustration and sadness shimmering in her dark eyes.

"Yeah." Abby understood what Ziva couldn't or wouldn't say. It broke her heart to see the younger woman, usually so strong and capable, looking so lost and vulnerable.

"You really loved him, didn't you?"

Ziva was quiet for so long that Abby didn't think she was going to answer.

"Love? No. I do not think so. We did not know each other long enough for that. But, I cared for him and I think I would have loved him, given more time."

"You know what I think will make you feel better?"

"What?"

Abby stopped and reached a hand out to grip Ziva's arm gently. At her touch, the other woman also stopped and turned to face her. Abby wrapped her arms around her. Ziva stood stiff for a moment, arms at her sides then slowly she relaxed against Abby and her arms came up to embrace her.

They stood that way for a long moment until Ziva let her arms drop and stepped away.

"Thank you, Abby." She caught Abby's eye and gave her a gentle smile. "I do feel better," she added, sounding surprised by the thought.

"Sometimes, a good hug can work wonders."

"So I see."

"Anytime you need one, all you have to do is ask." She held Ziva's gaze to let her know she was serious and then she added "That goes for all of us. I'm sure any of the guys would be willing."

Ziva surprised her by letting out a faint laugh. "Perhaps. But I do not think I will be finding out. I think McGee might have a heart attack if I came at him for a hug like you do. And Tony-"

'Would just use it as an excuse to grab your ass?"

"Exactly." Ziva gave her a rare, beaming smile.

"So, I guess it's all up to me, then," Abby said, returning the smile with one of her own as she linked her arm through Ziva's and started them walking again.

Any and all comments welcomed and appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**For all disclaimers, see Chapter 1**

**Author's Note:** Thanks for your replies, guys. They made my day. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story and I'll do my best to get my updates to you quickly.

**Chapter 3**

To say that they instantly became friends after that would have been a bit of an overstatement but Abby could feel that they were moving towards that. The final barriers had fallen and the two of them started spending more time together and growing closer.

Dinner together became a regular occurance. Or at least, as regular as something could be, given their jobs and the schedules they were forced to keep.

The first time Ziva had to cancel their plans, because a case had taken her to Maryland and she wouldn't be back until late, Abby was surprised at how dissapinted she was. She hadn't realized how important the dinners had become to her, how much she looked forward to them each week, until she had Ziva on the line, apologetic as she explained that she wouldn't be able to make it.

"It's fine, Ziva. I understand."

"I am glad."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't suck. But I'm not mad."

"I will make it up to you. I promise. As soon as we wrap up this case you will come over and I will cook for you. Yes?"

Not one to turn down a free meal, especially not one as delicious as Ziva's home cooking, Abby readily agreed.

Two days later they closed the case and Ziva came down to Abby's lab to make good on her promise. She stopped by just long enough to make sure Abby was free that night then told her to come over around seven.

6:55 found Abby eagerly knocking on Ziva's apartment door, a bottle of wine in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other. The wine, she knew, was Ziva's favourite and she'd noticed that the other woman had a bit of a sweet tooth, hence the chocolate.

A moment after she'd knocked the door swung open revealing a casual, relaxed Ziva. A sight not often seen at work but one Abby was becoming increasingly famililar with. She had on a pair of faded jeans, well worn ones too, if the rip starting above one knee was any indication and black t-shirt. Her feet were bare and her hair hung loose in gentle waves, the curls she'd tamed out in the morning starting to return. She greeted Abby with a warm smile and gestured her inside.

"Dinner is almost ready. Another twenty minutes or so. "

"Whatever it is, it smells delicious," Abby said as she handed Ziva the items she was carrying.

"Abby, you shouldn't have."

"Ziva, I don't know how they do things in Israel but her in the U S of A, when someone invites you over for a meal that they've slaved over a hot stove to make for you, you bring them a present."

"Thank you, Abby." Ziva took the proffered gifts with a bemused smile. "The wine will go well with dinner. And the chocolate will make a nice dessert."

"That's better."

"Come in, make yourself comfortable."

Ziva turned and headed for the kitchen and Abby was only a step behind. While Ziva opened the oven and checked on the contents inside, Abby poked through her drawers until the piece to uncork the wine. She then rifled through Ziva's cupboards for glasses as the other woman tended to the pots on the stove. She poured them each a glass then came to stand beside Ziva, peering down at the boiling sauces, trying to figure out what she was making.

"Smells wonderful," she commented, sticking a finger out to swipe a sample, only to have her hand slapped away. Rolling her eyes she picked up her glass and strode over to the table while Ziva laughed at her as she retreated.

"So, how does a Mossad assasin become such a good cook?"

Ziva let out a low chuckle, the soft, throaty kind that hit Abby right in the groin.

"I was not always a Mossad assasin. I did have a childhood. Yes, my father started our training at a very young age, preparing us for our service and there were languages tutors and fighting instructors but I also went to school, I played. I had friends."

"And boyfriends?" Abby teased, imaging Ziva would have had guys falling all over her when she was a kid.

"I dated some."

"Who was your first boyfriend?"

Ziva turned to face her, leaning against the counter as she sipped at her wine.

"His name was Akiva. I was 14 and he was in my class at school."

"How long were you together?"

"About six months. He broke up with me because his father did not like my father."

"That sucks."

"It was not pleasant. But, I would not say that I was heartbroken or anything. He was cute and I liked him but.." she trailed off with a shrug. "Besides, when he told me, I broke his nose. That made me feel better."

Abby let out a laugh. That was such a Ziva thing to do. Even as a kid she was a badass.

"Was he the first boy you kissed?"

"Yes. Although, he was not my first kiss."

"Really?" Abby studied her with intrest. She'd heard some of the comments Ziva had made to Tony and had often wondered if any of it was true or if she was just trying to wind him up.

"My first kiss was when I was 13. With Victoria Braun. Vicky. Her mother was with the state department or some such. She and several others, children of diplomats and other people my father worked with, were around my age. Whenever there was a party or function that our parents forced us to go to, we would sneak off away from the adults and have our own fun."

Abby listened with rapt attention as Ziva described a game of spin the bottle in the guest bedroom of some Ambassador or other diplomats house. She was surprised that Ziva was being so candid with her and also honoured.

"Is she the only girl you ever kissed?" she pressed. It wasn't really any of her buisness but really, when had that ever stopped her.

Ziva was quiet for a long moment and Abby began to get nervous that maybe she'd overstepped. Their friendship was still rather new and they were still finding their way. Ziva was very private about her past. Even with the amount of time they'd been spending together and how comfortable she was starting to feel around the other woman, there was still a lot about each other that they didn't know.

"For a long time, yes. I knew it was not something my father would approve of."

"Well, my father doesn't really like it all that much either, but that never stopped me."

She waited to see if Ziva would pick up on her admission.

"Somehow, that does not surprise me," Ziva said with a crooked smile. And then all the humour faded from her face as she added, "But our upbringings were quite different. Where your father might object, I believed mine would kill me."

Abby couldn't help but wince. "Really?"

"Yes. It is a grave sin, where I am from, for a woman to be with another woman. Or a man to be with another man. I believed that, for a very long time. Even after I'd kissed Vicky and realized I'd enjoyed it. I pretended that I had not."

Abby noticed that Ziva was talking in the past tense.

"What changed things?"

"I grew up, I saw more of the world. I got tired of denying what I felt."

"And your father?"

"I no longer believe he will kill me. However I do know that he would not approve."

Abby considered that. "Does he know? That you've been with women?"

Ziva shook her head. "No. I never saw any reason to tell him. I have been with women but I have never been in love with one. They were distractions. Flings." She gave a half shrug.

"My first kiss was a boy," Abby offered, even though Ziva did not ask. "Clayton Dunn. When I was 11. But my first crush was a girl. Missy Corrick. I was 10, she was 14. She lived up the street from me and used to babysit my younger brother." She hadn't thought about Missy in years but the moment she said her name, a multitude of memories came flooding back. "I was such a dork. I was too afraid to talk to her so I just followed her around like a puppy."

Ziva laughed. "You were never able to tell you how you felt? That is sad."

"I did, actually. Six years later I got drunk at a neighbourhood bbq and spilled my guts to her."

"And?"

"She laughed in my face and told me I was sick." Abby shrugged off the sting at the memory. "It's not a surprise really though. She hot but she was a bitch."

Ziva let out a surprised laugh.

"I had a few boyfriends in high school. And two girlfriends. I thought I was in love each time and got my heart trashed, each time. But it was worth it," she added with a grin. "Because when I really did fall in love for the first time, I knew the difference and I appreciated it, y'know."

Ziva nodded. "Yes. When was the first time you truly fell in love?"

"In college. Juniour year. He was in my program. We were together three years."

"What happened?"

"After graduation, we ended up on different sides of the country and things just sort of.." she trailed off made a gesture with her hands. "Who was your first love?"

"I was 17. His name was Yakov. We broke up just before I joined Mossad. He did not like the idea of it and I can not say that I blame him but it still hurt for a very long time."

Abby gave her sympathetic smile.

They talked for awhile about past lovers and love until Ziva announced that dinner was ready. Abby unfolded herself from her chair and grabbed plates from the cupboard and held them while Ziva served the food.

"You know, you never did tell me where you learned to cook," she commented, realizing that their conversation had detoured from her original inquiry.

"From my mother, mostly. She was a wonderful cook and she taught me many recipes. I learned also from my grandmother, my aunts and some of the chefs who worked for my father after my mother died."

"You really love it, don't you?"

Ziva nodded. "When I cook, I feel close to my mother. And my sister. She was not much of a cook but she was always underfoot in the kitchen, chatting away and trying to get a taste."

Once again she slapped Abby's hand away as she attempted to dip a finger in the sauce and the two of them shared a grin.

"They sound wonderful."

"Yes. This is one of my mother's recipes, actually. One of the first she taught me. And a personal favourite of mine."

"Well, I can't wait to try it."

They took their plates and their wine glasses and settled at the table. Abby pressed Ziva for details about her family until she could sense the other woman growing sad then she switched the conversation to something else, rambling on about whatever popped into her head until she had Ziva smiling and laughing again.

Any and all comments welcomed and appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:I** own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds the rights to them.  
**Pairing:** Abby/Ziva  
Summary:A look at the progression of Abby and Ziva's relationship. Eventual femslash.  
**Spoilers**: There are indirect references to a number of episodes but nothing to specific.  
**Timeline:** It starts in the third season and will span through to the sixth.  
**Author's Note:** I'm laid up at home today. Being sick in the summer sucks, but it did give me time to write this chapter.

elfspirit7 Thanks for reading. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

. Thanks. I'm glad that you're finding them in character. I've been working really hard at that. And actually, I've found Ziva pretty easy to write. Abby's the one that's proving to be a challenge. I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.

AgentDavid Thanks for reading and commenting. 

**Chapter 4**

They got along surprisingly well for two people who had very little in common. Almost a decade and an ocean between their childhoods meant they had very few shared experiences and rather varied opinions on just about everything.

Their tastes in everything from movies to music, to religion to politics was different and yet they never argued about any of it. They debated, they disagreed but it was always in good spirits. And Abby was enjoying the time they spent together, comparing their tastes and their experiences.

Abby was used to people thinking she was weird, strange. She got funny looks from people when they saw her tattoos and her collars and was often laughed at when she said she drove a hearse and slept in a coffin. She got bemused looks and indulgent smiles but she never had anyone simply ask her why or what these things meant to her. At least, not anyone who was truly interested in understanding her.

It was nice that Ziva was trying to understand her. Even if she didn't always, the fact that she was making an effort was enough.

And, Abby was having fun trying to figure out the young Mossad assasin as well. She was constantly being surprised by new facets of the other woman. She'd seen Ziva tough and determined when the team was working on a case. She'd seen her playful and flirting with Tony. She'd seen her relaxed and happy, cooking in her apartment or hanging out at the bar with the team and over the course of the next couple months, Abby got to see even more sides to the young woman. Sides that, when they first met, she never would have thought exsisted.

When they first met, Abby had thought Ziva cold and aloof. What other personality traits could an assasin really hold? To be able to take a life without a second thought...you had to be pretty souless to do that.

And she'd held onto that impression for a long time. She'd had to. How could she mourn Kate and welcome this newcomer at the same time? It was simply impossible.

But, Ziva was showing Abby that there was much more to her than the heartless killer she'd thought her to be. She didn't talk much about her service with Mossad but when Abby did venture to ask about it, she spoke of it with pride. She had done what her country had required of her.

She saw herself no different than a soldier who was asked to kill on the battlefield. It was not always an enjoyable task but it was one that needed to be done. And she was not apologetic about the fact that she was the one who had been chosen or that she was skilled at it.

But she was also eager to become more than just an assasin and a spy. She was incredibly proud of her place on Gibbs' team and the new investigative skills she was learning. She was an apt pupil, looking to Gibbs' and the others for leadership and guidance even while trying to assert herself with them. It was an interesting view of the younger woman, Abby thought. One that she had not really considered before.

She had to admit, she was enjoying watching all these different aspects of Ziva coming into play. She liked coming up to the bullpen and watching her interact with Tony one way, all jokes and banter and threats and frustration then turn around to talk with McGee and be earnest and sincere and gentle and kind.

She was intruiged by the dynamic that had developed between Ziva and Gibbs, a mutual respect and admiration that seemed to give them some sort of unspoken understanding of each other. Abby had been jealous of that, (if she was being honest she had to admit she still was, just a little,) but she could see how much they both seemed to need it, so she tried not to let it get to her.

She thought it was sweet how Ziva and Ducky had taken to each other, on unlikely pairing if there ever was one and yet he looked after her in a sort of grandfatherly way and she accepted it easily.

She liked watching Ziva gently teasing Palmer with her mere presence. Abby always caught the smirk on her lips when she'd stand a little to close behind him on the elevator to make him flinch, or give him an unwavering stare in the autopsy room until he'd start to stutter but then turn around and ask him about school or his plans for the weekend.

But most of all, she liked seeing what parts of herself Ziva would reveal to her. She'd seen so much more of Ziva than she'd ever anticipated, from playful and teasing to introspective and sombre. She'd seen her inquisitive and thoughtful and curious and withdrawn.

She'd gotten a tase of her unexpected, but really not all that surprising, sweet side one evening when testing trace evidence kept her in the lab well into the night. Ziva had come down to the lab with dinner, a simple meal of salads and sandwiches but still a dinner nonetheless.

"I know that you have not eaten all day," Ziva said as she strode into the lab a plastic grocery bag hanging from one wrist "And I know that you are not likely to stop for dinner unless I make you so..." she trailed off as she gripped Abby's arms and forcibly pulled her away from the machines and guided her through the lab to her office. Abby struggled against the iron grip around her biceps and found it unrelenting.

"Ziva."

"Abigail, hush." Ziva gently pushed Abby down into her chair and dropped the bag onto her lap.

Abby glared at her and Ziva met her gaze squarely. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway. Abby was tempted to make a run for it, just to see what Ziva would do. A smile formed on her lips at the images that played through her head and she fought against it. She was supposed to be pissed at being manhandled.

Finally though, the enticing scents from the bag got the better of her and she relented.

"What did you bring me?" she asked reaching into the bag and pulling out the first thing her hand landed upon. She pulled it out to reveal a toasted chicken sandwich. Her next foray into the bag revealed a ceaser salad and finally she pulled out a soft, still warm chocolate chip cookie.

"Mmmm."

"Dinner first, then dessert," Ziva instructed, reaching out and swiping the cookie from her hands before she could take a bite. "You need something besides sugar and caffeine in your system."

Once again, Abby glared and once again, Ziva held her ground until Abby gave in and opened the salad.

"What about you?" she asked around a mouthful of lettuce. "Even Mossad assasin's need to eat."

"I had dinner hours ago."

"You wouldn't be lying to me, now, would you, Miz David?"

"No. McGee and I stopped on our way back from interviewing some of Lt Carlson's friends."

The shooting death of Lt Carlson was the latest case the team was working on. Abby had run ballistics for them earlier that afternoon and had checked a couple of fingerprints for them but there hadn't been much trace at the scene, which had just been where the body was dumped. They were still looking for where the murder had actually taken place.

"Anything yet?"

"Nothing solid. We will have to start looking for a new angle tomorrow, I think."

Their conversation drifted off to other topics as Abby ate and then eventually fell off into a comfortable silence as she finished her meal and Ziva sat next to her. When she had finished, she held out her hand for the cookie, which Ziva have to her with a toothy smile. Abby stuck her tongue out and Ziva just shook her head, chuckling softly. Once she had finished Abby stuffed the garbage back into the bag and tossed it into the plastic bin by her desk.

"Thank you, Ziva."

Ziva nodded. "I do not suppose that I could convince you to finish your work tomorrow?"

Abby raised an eybrow at her.

"I thought as much." Ziva rose from her chair and straightened her clothes. She started for the door but stopped and turned before exiting to say, "do not stay too late, Abby. You need to take care of yourself."

Abby nodded. "Night, Ziva."

"Good night, Abby."

Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. The characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds rights to them

**Pairing: **Abby/Ziva

**Summary:**A look at the progression of the relationship of Abby and Ziva.

**Timeline: **Starting mid third season and spanning through to the sixth.

**Rating:** G for now. The rating will change with later chapters.

**Spoilers:** Contains references to various episodes throughout the seasons. This chapter, specifically, Judgement Day parts 1&2

AgentDavid Thank you. Sweet Ziva was fun to write, so I'm glad she was enjoyable to read as well. And even though this is a Ziva/Abby story, I think their other relationships are important too.

elfspirit7 Thank you. And thanks for commenting.

Ricepaper Butterfly Thanks. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

xxIceEyesxx27 Thank you. I wanted to try and put my own spin on it. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story.

**Chapter 5**

You are never prepared to lose somebody. No matter how likely you know the possibility. Abby learned that with Kate's death. She had known that her friend was putting herself in harms way every time she went out to investigate a lead or pick up a suspect. Every time she drew her weapon, she became a target. Yet, when the call came in that she had been killed, Abby had been devestated. She'd been unable to believe that it was true.

It was the same with the death of Director Shephard. Maybe even worse. She was not close with the Director the way she had been with Kate, but she had known and liked the director. And when Director Shephard was killed, she was not supposed to have been in harms way.

So when the call came in, and Ducky told her what had happened, the news hit her like a blow to the chest.

Working the Director's death was hard. One of the hardest cases they had worked in a long time. But it was something for them to focus on. It was something that they could do. Until the case was solved and then, Jenny was just dead.

It was late by the time they wrapped everything up, the rest of the building was empty and quiet. Everyone else had gone home to their familes, their lovers, their friends.

The team dispersed slowly, quietly. Abby stayed down in her lab for a long while, fiddling with her machines, tidying the already spotless lab. She wasn't ready to go home just yet. She didn't want to go home, alone, to an empty apartment. Although, she didn't think she could stay here much longer either.

She was used to be down here alone in her lab. With her music and her machines and her work she never felt alone. Normally she felt a sort of comfort in being down here. But, it didn't seem to be working for her. Not tonight when everything was eerily quiet, as if the building itself was mourning.

Realizing that there would be no solace here tonight Abby headed up to her car and climbed in. She still wasn't ready to go home. Not yet. Nor did she want to be around people. It was the end of the week, the bars and clubs would be open and packed, the perfect place to lose yourself in the crowd but Abby was not in the mood for that either.

For awhile, she drove aimlessly but she knew that couldn't continue to go on without a destination.

She was closer to McGee's place than she was her own and for a moment considered going there, then quickly changed her mind. By now he'd be lost in one of his fantasy game worlds, blocking out reality and truth for a little while. And he deserved that. He'd been her rock through all this. While Tony was lashing out and Ziva was withdrawing inward, Timmy had been there to hug her and tell her it would be okay.

Normally when she was feeling like this she went to Gibbs, but just as she knew how McGee was dealing with things, she knew that Gibbs would be dealing in his own way as well, down in the basement drinking and working on his boat. That's what he needed to do to get through this.

Tony, she knew, would be well on his way to drunk right now. Maybe alone, more likely in a bar. Probably with a woman. A witty, beautiful woman that he would feel compelled to make laugh. And in doing so, it would make him smile. They'd leave together, his place or hers, and spend the night together. And for a little while he'd forget that he was grieving and angry and hurting and he'd feel alive and content.

Ziva...Abby didn't know how Ziva was dealing with this. She'd been focused on the case since they got back from LA and hadn't shown much in the way of her emotions. It didn't appear that working this case had hit Ziva harder than any other case would have. But Abby knew that couldn't be true. Ziva and the Director had known each other for a long time and were quite close. Ziva was probably hurting more than any of them right now, she just wasn't inclined to show it.

Her thoughts must have been guiding her actions without her even being aware of it, because when she glanced up at the street signs as she approached the intersection she realized that she was coming upon Ziva's neighbourhood. After a moment's indecision she made the next left and found herself pulling up in front of Ziva's building. Another moment of hesitation and then she climbed out of her car and entered the building. She didn't pass anyone in the stairway on her way up and didn't hear any sounds from the apartment when she reached the door and it was then that she realized how late it was. Maybe she should just go home. Ziva could be sleeping. She hesitated, hand raised to knock. She started to lower her arm then brought it back up and tapped lightly on the door.

At first she heard nothing. She was debating knocking again and leaving when she heard a faint shuffling on the other side of the door. A moment later it swung open to reveal a dark apartment and a dishleveled looking Ziva. Her eyes glittered even in the low light of the hallway and tear tracks marked her cheeks. Her hair fell in dissarray around her shoulders, looking as if she'd been running her fingers through it. She stared up at Abby, who held out her arms. Wordlessly, Ziva fell into them.

She wrapped herself around the younger woman, pulling her in tightly and holding her close. Ziva buried her head into Abby's shoulder and returned the embrace. Abby could feel the warm wetness of tears against the side of her neck and the faint tremors that coursed through Ziva's body as she cried silently.

They stood this way for a long moment, until Ziva let her arms drop and pulled away.

"I am sorry Abby." Her voice was hoarse and her accent thicker than normal. "I-"

Abby cut her off with a finger to her lips. "Don't ever apologize for crying, Ziva. It doesn't make you weak, it makes you human," she added.

Ziva nodded. Abby wasn't sure the younger woman was really listening to her words but the fact that she didn't protest was enough for now.

"Would you like to come in?"

"Only if you want me to. I came over here to see how you were doing. If you'd rather be alone..."

"No, some company would be nice."

It wasn't the response she was expecting, but it was the one she'd been hoping to hear. Ziva stepped aside to let her in.

"Would you like something to drink? I have wine. Or a snack. I could-"

"Ziva, I didn't come over here to make you play hostess. Why don't you go sit down, relax. I'll grab some wine and we'll talk."

"All right."

Abby had never seen Ziva so docile before. She wasn't sure whether she should be worried or pleased that Ziva trusted her enough to let herself grieve in front of her.

While Ziva settled herself on the couch, Abby detoured into the kitchen for a bottle of wine, two glasses and something sweet and sugary. Chocolate or ice cream or cookies or something. She put the glasses and wine on the counter then began foraging Ziva's cupboards and fridge. She found a pint of black cherry ice cream in the freezer, grabbed two spoons and gathered everything up in her arms and returned to the living room.

Ziva was curled up on one corner of the couch staring off into space. She glanced up when Abby came back into the room and offered the faintest of smiles as she watched the other woman try to set everything down without dropping anything.

Abby deftly uncorked the wine and poured them each a glass then pried the lid of the ice cream container.

"Mmm, good," she murmured, licking some off her fingers. "Here." She handed Ziva a spoon and tilted the container in her direction.

"So, tell me about Jenny,"

Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:**I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds the rights to them

**Pairing: **Abby/Ziva

**Summary:** A look at the progression of their relationships through the seasons.

**Timeline:** Starting with Boxed In, in season 3 and spanning through to the sixth season

**Spoilers:** Various episodes are mentioned throughout. This chapter specifically mentions Judgement Day 1&2

**Rating:**G for now. But it will be raised for later chapters.

**Author's Note:**

elfspirit7 Thanks for reading, and replying. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

**Chapter 6**

The funeral service was nice. A lot of people came. Friends and collegues from across the country, all with kind words and pleasant memories, gathered together to pay their final respects. Since Director Shephard had no living relatives the team was invited to sit in the first row of seats, the one usually reserved for family.

Abby sat in the middle, between McGee and Palmer, both of whom looked handsome and somber in their dark suits. Palmer held her hand through the service and McGee kept tapping his foot against hers, a gentle, rythmic touch that was both distracting and soothing.

Ducky got up to say a few words. Ziva sang, something in Hebrew that Abby didn't understand the words of but was beautiful and haunting and brought tears to her eyes.

A wake was being held at the home of one of Director Shephard's friends. An old college roomate, or something like that but Abby didn't really want to go. She wasn't in the mood to make small talk with a bunch of strangers. Instead she asked Tony, who she'd driven to the church with, if he'd mind dropping her off at work only to find out he'd been planning on heading there himself. They all were, it seemed. It was fitting, in a way.

Almost as soon as they got there, Vance signalled Gibbs for a word and the team headed up to his office so Abby went down to her lab. She had finished everything in her inbox before she'd left the day before but she knew that there would be something new waiting for her. There was always something pending, a toxicology report that needed to be run, ballistics that needed to be matched or half a dozen other scans or tests for the various teams that worked out of the Navy Yard.

She donned her lab coat, turned up her music and lost herself in her work.

Tony was the first one to come down. He looked more ashen now than he had at the funeral and didn't even crack a smile as Abby danced her way over to him.

"Tony?"

He didn't say anything, just stood there looking at her intently.

"Tony, what did Vance say?"

"He's disbanding the team."

Abby swayed unsteadily on her feet. "What?"

"Probie's going over to the geek squad. Ziva's being sent back to Israel. And I'm going to be an agent afloat."

"When?"

"I fly out tomorrow."

"For how long?"

"Indefinitely."

Abby covered her ears, as if by not hearing anymore she could make it untrue.

Tony reached up and gently peeled her hands away from her ears and clasped them in his own.

"I have to go. I need to get my apartment squared away and pack up. But, I'd really like one of your patented hugs before I do."

Abby felt tears stinging her lids as she wrapped her arms around Tony and squeezed as tightly as she could. For once, he didn't complain about needing to breath. Instead, he clung just as tightly.

She couldn't believe Vance would do this. Well, she could believe it, she just didn't want to. They'd just lost a friend and collegue, what they needed was to be together to heal not get scattered to the wind.

They stood like that for a long time. And they were both reluctant when they pulled apart.

"I'm going to miss my daily dose of Abby when I'm at sea."

"I hate this, Tony."

"I know, Abby. Me too."

He gave her another squeeze then stepped back, a sad smile gracing his lips.

"You better write."

And then he was gone. Abby sagged against the counter, staring after him, willing him to come back with a smile and a laugh and say it was all a joke. But he didn't. And deep down, she knew that he wouldn't.

McGee came to see her next and the two of them sat around her office talking about how different things were going to be and how much they hated the idea of not being able to work on the same cases and see each other every day.

When McGee stood to leave, Abby hugged him, hard, and made him promise that they would still see each other all the time.

She sat in her desk chair for a long time after he left, staring with unseeing eyes at the foot traffic outside her windows.

Ziva came down several hours later. So much time had passed since McGee had left that Abby had been starting to wonder if Ziva had left without saying goodbye.

"So, I hear you're heading home."

"I am going back to Israel, yes," Ziva said as she paused a foot or so away from Abby and crossed her arms over her chest, then uncrossed them and tucked them behind her back.

"When?"

"My father wants me there as soon as possible. There is a flight out tonight."

"Well, you don't waste any time, do you?"

All these changes being thrown at her at once combined with the emotions of her goodbye to Tony and the anger and sadness that had started to build when she thought Ziva had left without coming to see her, not to mention the fact that she'd just come from a funeral left Abby feeling tense and edge and looking for a fight.

And Ziva just happened to be the one to walk through the door.

"I'm surprised that you even bothered with goodbye, you're in such a rush to get out of here."

Ziva's brow furrowed and she tilted her head at Abby but she did not rise to the bait.

Abby knew that she was doing it again. That she was taking her anger and frustrations out on Ziva, saying things without thinking, purposefully trying to be hurtful in an attempt to get a rise out of the other woman. But, as always, Ziva did not rise to the bait. Instead, she stood silently, which only irritated Abby further and she dug deeper into her anger and lashed out even more.

After a few more minutes of ranting though, she started to run out of steam and after another couple of pointed jabs fell silent.

"Are you finished?" Ziva asked.

Abby nodded, the guilt setting in as some the hurtful words she'd said in a flurry of emotion setttled in her mind and she remembered that Ziva was a friend now. They were supposed to have gotten past the stage where Abby used her for target practice.

"Ziva, I-"

"Abby, I did not come down here to fight with you," Ziva interrupted her. "I have only a few hours left and then I will be on plane headed for Tel Aviv." She shifted from one foot to the other and then took a step closer. "I do not want to leave. But I have my orders. Vance does not want me here. My father would like me to return to him. So, I am going. But, before I do, I would like a hug and to say goodbye."

Abby stared at her, dumbfounded. Ziva had never asked her for a hug before. She tolerated the ones Abby gave her. Sometimes she'd even return them but never once has she initiated the contact. Even after Abby had told her all she had to do was ask, she had never asked. Not even once.

Ziva was undaunted by Abby's lack of response. With the faintest of smirks she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Abby's waist. Abby's arms came up automatically to return the embrace.

Ziva's body was solid and warm against hers. Her breath against the side of Abby's neck sent shivers skittering down her spine. And the faint brush of lips against her skin as she murmured something into the side of Abby's neck had her imagining, just for a second, pulling back and kissing her. Had her considering inviting Ziva back to her place for awhile.

There was still a few hours until her plane left. They could spend a couple of those in bed.

Then, Ziva's words registered in her conscious. "I am glad that you stopped hating me long enough for us to become friends." and the idea fell away.

It wouldn't have to complicate things. They would just be two women enjoying each other's company for the evening. Two friends seeking pleasure in each other.

And Abby had no doubt it would be amazing.

But her friendship with Ziva was still so new and not yet fully defined. She didn't want to treat it casually or with even the slightest breadth of disrespect.

"I'm going to miss you,"

At Abby's words, Ziva squeezed even harder.

"I will miss you too," Ziva said as she dropped her arms and stepped back. She offered up a sad, half smile.

"You take care of yourself, Ziva David." Abby blinked against the tears that welled up beneath her lashes.

"And you as well, Abigail Sciuto."

And then Ziva was gone. She strode out the door without looking back and Abby was left alone.

The entire team, save Gibbs, was gone. Everything had been turned upside down.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds rights to them.

**Pairing:**Abby/Ziva

**Summary:**A look at the progression of their relationship.

**Timeline:**Starts in the third season and spans through to the sixth.

**Spoilers:** Last Man Standing

**Rating:**

**Author's Note:**So I know I'm not the only one who's noticed that sometimes Gibbs calls Ziva Ziver, because I've seen it in a few of the stories here but what I'm wondering is, does anyone know if it's an intentional nickname or just a slip of the tongue on the part of the actor?

elfspirit7 Thanks.

LittleSpooky Thanks. Well, if the last one made you sniffle, hopefully this one will make you smile. lol. Maybe they were. 

For the first few days, Abby was fine, because she knew that Gibbs was going to fix this. Then days turned to weeks and weeks turned into a month and nothing had changed. It was getting harder and harder not to throw the new team out of her lab every time they came down.

Gibbs' team wasn't the one one she processed evidence for, but they were the only ones that she'd really gotten to know in her time at NCIS. Most of the investigators simply called down to the lab to see if she had results for them. Then she would email the findings up to them so they could close the case and file the reports. Sometimes someone would come down if they had a question or needed clarification but it wasn't an everday occurance

Gibbs was the first and only team leader to come down and check on her progress on such a regular basis and it was at his insistance that his team did the same. And through those daily interactions she'd formed bonds. She'd made friends. And then they'd been taken away from her.

Abby trusted Gibbs implicity. She had faith that he was going to fix this. But that didn't make the reality any easier to deal with in the meantime. In fact, she hated it.

She had gone from seeing McGee, Tony and Ziva every day, sometimes several times a day to seeing McGee once or twice a week and getting postcards from Tony a couple times a month. She hadn't even heard from Ziva since she'd left.

She felt a little bad for yelling at Gibbs like that but he needed to hear it. Whatever his plan was for gettting the team back together, he needed to do it soon. Because it had been over 4 months. 126 days, since Vance had split them up. And that was just unacceptable. Unacceptable.

Then finding out that Ziva had been injured, seriously, life threateningly injured, had only further convinced Abby that she was right.

So when she learned that Ziva was coming back to NCIS, she was overjoyed. She ventured up from her lab to be there in the bullpen when Ziva arrived and she could barely contain her excitement at the thought of having 2/3 of her team back together, at having her friend back.

She was bouncing impatiently in place when the elevator dinged, signalling Ziva's arrival. The door slid open slowly, much to slowly, to reveal the younger woman standing there, well put together and in one piece but with a few obvious signs of her recent injuries.

It seemed like forever, though was likely only seconds, for Ziva to exchange a few words with Agent Lee and then turn towards the others. Abby threw her arms out for a hug and was surprised when Ziva eagerly rushed into them. The hug was hard and tight and over much too quickly. Abby was just getting re-adjusted to the feel of the other woman in her arms, the compact body against her own and then Ziva was pulling away and turning to McGee. They hugged tightly, eagerly, if not a little awkwardly. Then, she was moving away from him and stepping up to Gibbs. He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close and held her for a long moment.

Abby would have been jealous of their moment if she wasn't still bouncing around with excitement.

It also helped that, after the round of hugs, Ziva returned to her side. She stood close, not quite touching but near enough that Abby could feel the heat from her body and catch a whiff of the citrus of her shampoo. Abby looped her arm through Ziva's and cast a glance sideways, gauging her reaction and was surprised (but also pleased) when Ziva did not flinch or stiffen at the contact. Instead, she accepted the touch easily and adjusted herself to it, crooking her elbow slightly so that Abby's arm fell more naturally at her side. She then glanced over at Abby and gave her a wide, beaming grin.

"It's good to have you back, Ziver." Gibbs reached out and patted her shoulder then slid his hand up to cup her cheek.

In an uncharacterisitic, but at the moment not particularly surprising move, Ziva leaned into the touch, her eyes fluttering closed for just a moment.

This was new and different. And Abby had to admit that she was pleased. She didn't know what had happened to Ziva over the past few months to cause such a change in her demeanor but she was liking the affect.

"I am glad to be back."

The elevator dinged and opened with a whoosh, expelling an eager Ducky and Palmer, who quickly crossed the bullpen to join the others.

"Officer David, welcome home." The formality of Ducky's greeting was offset by the warm smile and the hug that he gave the young woman.

She returned the hug, murmuring something into his ear that Abby didn't catch but left them both smiling when they parted.

Palmer hovered in the background, grinning goofily but shifting awkwardly. Abby bit back a grin of her own as she waited to see if he would have the nerve to give Ziva a hug. Apparently, Ziva was thinking along the same lines, judging from the faint smirk on her face as she glanced over Ducky's shoulder at him.

"Glad to have you back, Ziva." He said it without stuttering and without going up an octave (or several) but his adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously.

"Thank you, Palmer." Ziva smiled graciously and apparently took pity on the young man because she closed the distance between them and folded him into a loose, brief hug.

Palmer was blushing as they pulled apart. And a quick glance around the room revealed that everyone else was trying not to laugh.

"I think that our work here is done for the day," Ducky commented, glancing around at the gathered crowd. "What do you say we get some dinner?" His eyes settled on Ziva last.

She smiled but shook her head. "Thank you, Ducky. But, I had a long flight and am several time zones ahead of you all. I am too tired to be good company tonight. Perhaps I could get a rain check?"

"Of course, my dear. Rest up. Get yourself settled in. We will all have dinner another time."

Abby was dissapointed but also relieved. As much as she wanted to spend time with her almost fully assembled team she knew that it wouldn't be the same without Tony.

"Do you want a ride home?" Abby offered as the others started to disperse.

Ziva started to shake her head no and refuse but stopped in mid motion and nodded. "That would be nice. Thank you, Abby."

"I missed you." Abby waited until they were alone in the car to say it. She wasn't quite sure why. It just felt like something that should be said in a private moment between the two of them. An odd feeling, seeing as how their greetings had been in public.

Her excitement, the hug in the bullpen, she knew that Ziva knew she had missed her. Yet she felt the need to actually say the words. To let Ziva know exactly what her thoughts were. There had been so much misunderstanding and things left unsaid between them for so long before and she couldn't stand the thought of that happening again.

"I missed you, too."

"And yet, I never heard from you." She tried for teasing and failed. The words came out sounding much to plaintive for her liking and she knew that Ziva heard it too.

"I am sorry, Abby. It was simply to difficult to manage."

"You kept up with McGee." Again, her tone revealed too much.

"Abby." Ziva's voice was soft.

"It's fine, Ziva. Forget I said anything. I'm just tired. It's been a long day and I haven't had a Caf-Pow in-"

"Abby." Her tone was sharper this time and instinctively, Abby glanced over and caught Ziva staring at her, the other woman's expression quite serious. "I do not mean it was to difficult as in, I was too busy. I mean, it was difficult as in, it was too hard."

Abby really wished that she wasn't driving as they had this conversation. She wanted to be able to give Ziva her undivided attention.

"Timothy is a good man and a good friend but we are not that close. It was easy to talk to him. But you and I, we have gotten to be quite close yes?"

Abby nodded her confirmation.

"I did not know when, or even if, I would get to see you again and I thought it would be easier to make a smooth break."

"Clean break."

"Same difference."

They rolled up to a red light and Abby took the opportunity to turn her head to face the other woman. She didn't know what to say. She was floored by Ziva's admission. Not only that the other woman valued her friendship so much but also that she had said it aloud.

She lifted one hand from the wheel and reached out to squeeze Ziva's fingers. "It's okay, Ziva"

"So, you are not angry?"

"No. I was a little hurt," she admitted. "I didn't understand why you would talk with McGee but not me but..."

The light turned green and she had to release Ziva's hand to drive. As soon as she did, she felt the loss of the warmth.

"I know that things haven't always been easy between us. And I know that's mostly my fault."

"Abby."

Abby glanced over, giving Ziva a chiding look. They both knew that it had been Abby's anger, Abby's inability to accept that had kept them at lengths for so long. Although she appreciated Ziva's attempt to shoulder some of the blame.

Ziva's lips quirked in a grin and she nodded her head for Abby to continue.

"But, I want you to know that I'm really glad you're back. And, it's going to be different this time."

She was going to try really hard not to vent her anger and frustrations out on Ziva. It was unfair to the other woman. She didn't deserve it and after all this time, there was no excuse for it.

"Thank you, Abby."

They reached Ziva's apartment just then. Abby pulled up in front of the building and slipped from the car. She just barely made it around to the other side of the car to open Ziva's door for her. She swung the door open and gave a little bow.

Ziva laughed softly as she slid gracefully to her feet. She inclined her head, a smile playing at her lips.

"Would you like to come up for a bit?"

Abby shook her head. "You're tired. You need to rest."

Ziva nodded. "Another time then?"

"Absolutely."

She turned to Ziva and spread her arms. The other woman walked into them without hesitation and wrapped her arms around Abby's waist. Her head rested in the crook of Abby's neck and she let out a barely audible, contented sigh as she burrowed closer.

There wasn't an inch of space between them and Abby couldn't help but notice the way Ziva's breasts pressed against her or the way her hips curved in towards hers and she felt a faint stirring in the pit of her stomach, a gentle heat that spread in radiating waves throughout her body. It spread further and grew warmer with each wisp of breath against her skin. Unbidden, an image of Ziva lying beneath her, eyes darkened with desire and arching up into her touch, flashed through Abby's brain.

It wasn't the first time the thought had crossed Abby's mind. Anyone with eyes could see that Ziva was beautiful. And Abby didn't have any problems with her eyesight. She'd felt attraction for her on more than one occasion but never this strong or this vivid.

When Ziva pulled back, Abby was both dissapointed and relieved and that was when she knew that she was in trouble.


	8. Chapter 8

**Dislcaimers:** I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds rights to them.

**Pairing: **Abby/Ziva

**Summary:** A look at the progression of their relationship.

**Timeline:**From season 3 through to season 6

**Spoilers: ** Season 6, episode 2 (can't remember the episdoe title at the moment)

**Rating:** Rated G.

gagalove, thank you.

LittleSpooky lol, a squeak would have been good. I didn't think of that.

elfspirit7 thanks. I'm posting the chapters as quickly as I can write them, so the next one will be up shortly.

AgentDavid Thanks. Yep, Abby's little fantasy was fun and I can't wait to write it for real.

ttandme69 Well, welcome. I'm glad you found the story and are enjoying it. And, I'm glad you find them in character.

livmissy thank you. 

Abby didn't a chance to spend much time with Ziva over the next few days. Cases just kept rolling in and she was processing evidence for six different teams and then Ziva was off to help Tony out at sea. And Abby had to admit she was glad. As horrible as that was, considering Ziva had been away for so long and had nearly died out there without any of them even knowing what she was up to. But she needed the time to sort out her feelings.

That fact that she was attracted to Ziva wasn't the problem. She'd felt that attraction many times before. A laugh, a gesture, a smile would hit Abby and she'd feel that aching heat in her groin. A suggestive comment or a smug, sexy smile and Abby would feel her throat go dry and a heat flare through her. It was just her body's natural response and she had no problem with that. Nor did she dwell on it. The moments were fleeting and far between.

The problem was that now just being in the same room put her nerves on edge. Just looking at her, all Abby could think about was kissing her, of touching her. She wondered what it would feel like to tangle her hands in those thick, unruly curls and what her skin would taste like.

Normally when Abby found herself in a situation like this, she'd simply see if they were interested in the idea of friends with benefits until her lust wore off. But that generally didn't end well and she wasn't willing to make that mistake with Ziva. They'd worked too hard for too long to risk everything falling apart.

She'd never had a friend quite like Ziva before. They weren't best friends like the one's she'd had growing up, spending all their time together and talking on the phone when they weren't together. They weren't close friends like the ones she had from high school and college who shared every secret and leaned on each other through rough times and heartaches.

Nor were they casual friends who got together every couple weeks for dinner or drinks or a night out to talk and laugh and catch up. And they were certainly more than friendly collegues.

Ziva had come to mean so much to her even if she couldn't clearly define their relationship. There was still a lot of things about each other that they still didn't know and Abby had a feeling that there were things Ziva would never share but they were building something.

And she wasn't going to jeopordize that because she couldn't keep her hormones under control. Which was why, even though it made her a horrible person, she was glad not to see Ziva for a few days. The time apart would give her time to get a handle on her feelings.

Or so she thought.

By the time they'd wrapped up the case on the ship and brought Tony back home, Abby was no closer to being over this crush on Ziva than she had been when she'd left.

His homecoming offered a welcome distraction and she spent the next couple days lavishing him with attention but as things started to slip back into their normal routine Abby was still at loose ends.

And Ziva certainly wasn't helping things either. Three years they'd known each other now and for the majority of that time Ziva had shied away from physical contact. She maintained a bubble of personal space, never reaching out for a casual touch to the arm or back or shoulder, never stepping in for a hug or slinging an arm around a shoulder or waist.

Then she'd come back and was suddenly willing to lean in close to look over Abby's shoulder to look at results on her computer, one hand resting lightly against the small of Abby's back. The team went out for drinks and she found herself seated next to Ziva, the other woman's arm draped casually across the back of Abby's chair. The heat of her arm against the back of Abby's neck was bad enough but as the night wore on, Ziva's fingers began tracing idle patterns against her shoulder. It was likely an unconscious gesture but it still raised goosbumps on her skin. And a couple days after that, for the first time ever she came down to the lab after the close of a tough case and told Abby she needed a hug.

And then Ziva did the unthinkable. Abby was shutting down the lab for the night when Ziva appeared in the doorway looking hesitant and a little uncertain. It had taken awhile but Abby was now able to read the younger woman's demeanor and facial expressions. She was actually quite emotive when she was purposefully controlling her bodylanguage.

"Abby, may I ask you a favour?"

"Sure, Ziva. What do you need?" Abby glanced up from the sut down sequence she as initiating on her computer but did not halt her actions. It was a good excuse not to have to turn and face Ziva or move any closer to her.

"My apartment is being fumigated. My landlord informed me of this just this morning. I was wondering if you would let me spend the night with you."

Abby's fingers paused over the keyboard and she swallowed hard as images, x-rated, naughty, naked images flashed through her brain.

She knew, however, that Ziva didn't mean it like that. She coughed and reached for the Caf-Pow at her elbow to wet her throat.

When she turned, Ziva was staring at her expectantly, waiting for a response. As the silence lengthened, the younger woman began to fidget.

"If it too much an imposition, I understand," Ziva said stiffly, formally after another moment. She nodded once and took a step backward. She had half turned on her heel to leave when Abby finally found her voice.

"Ziva, wait." Her words came out scratchy and dry but they were enough to stop the other woman in her tracks, though she did not turn around. "Of course you can stay with me."

Ziva turned to face her, expression wary.

"I'm sorry, you just surprised me, that's all." It wasn't a lie. It just wasn't the whole truth.

Abby knew she was going to come to regret this but she couldn't refuse the other woman.

"I'd be happy to have you."


	9. Chapter 9

**Dislcaimers:** I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds rights to them.

**Pairing: **Abby/Ziva

**Summary:** A look at the progression of their relationship.

**Timeline:**From season 3 through to season 6

**Spoilers: **None in this one.

**Rating:** Mature audiences only for this one.

**Author's Note: **This chapter turned out to be be really long, so split it into 2 parts so I could post something sooner rather than later.

AgentDavid As you should. As soon as the line popped into my head, I meant for it to be an inuendo.

elfspirit7 Thank you. And seeing as how this story is pretty much consuming every waking thought, it's been pretty easy get chapters written rather quickly.

LittleSpooky Not quite. Though, I could probably do somethings with the idea of Abby being tied up...

Tiger87 Thanks. And, I hope that you enjoy what I did with the two of them, alone in the apartment.

livmissy Thanks for reading/replying. And the next chapter will be up as soon as I can write it.

Abby was nervous as she tried to unlock the door to let them into her apartment. Her hand shook as she tried to put the key into the lock and it took three tries before she finally fumbled it in and then she turned the key the wrong way and jammed the lock. She muttered a curse as she wrenched the key out and tried again.

"You really need to cut back on the caffeine, Abby." Ziva's voice was sudden and startling in her ear and she jumped, almost dropping her key ring. She heard Ziva bite back chuckle.

"Here, let me."

She turned to see Ziva nod towards the lock. Automatically, Abby held out her keys. This time Ziva did chuckle as she stepped past Abby, ignoring her outstretched hand as she reached into the inside pocket of her jacket and pulled something out. Within seconds the lock clicked and Ziva stepped back, a smirk playing on her lips.

Abby pushed the door open and ushered her friend inside.. "C'mon in, make yourself comfortable. Would you like somethning to eat, drink? I have beer and..." she trailed off as she tried to remember what was in her fridge. "cheese and probably olives," she finished sheepishly, realizing she hadn't been shopping in awhile and was running low on groceries.

"A beer would be nice."

Abby nodded and head for the kitchen, greatful to have something to do. She'd never felt this awkward and uncomfortable in her own apartment before.

She pulled two beers from the fridge and popped the tops off against an unfinished corner of the counter then began searching the cupboards for something to offer her guest. She knew she didn't have much but was using the motions to calm herself.

"I will cook for you tonight,"

Ziva's voice was soft and right in her ear. She jumped, startled and almost hit her head on the cupboard door. She hadn't realized the other woman had followed her into the kitchen.

"Ziva, you don't have to do that."

"It is the least I can do for you, putting me out like this."

"Up."

"What?"

"Putting someone up means letting them stay with you. Putting someone out means imposing on them."

"Either way, it works, does it not? I am imposing."

Abby whirled, once again almost hitting her head on the cupboard. "Ziva, no. You're not imposing," she hasted to reassure her friend. And it wasn't really a lie. She enjoyed the other woman's company. It wasn't Ziva's fault that Abby was a hormonal wreck right now.

Ziva nodded but Abby could tell that she didn't really believe her.

"Buy you will let me cook for you?"

"Of course. You know I can't say no to your cooking."

"Okay, then." Ziva gripped Abby's waist and eased her out of the way. "You...go find something else to do while I make us something to eat."

Abby couldn't help but laugh at Ziva's blunt phrasing. "Fine, I'll go...grab a shower." She could still feel the heat of Ziva's hands against her hips as she headed down the hall to her room. 'Looks like it'll be a cold shower," she muttered to herself as she grabbed a pair of shorts and t-shirt to change into.

An hour later Abby was freshly scrubbed and feeling a little more relaxed as she sat on the couch with Ziva, watching tv and eating the delicious meal she'd managed to create for them. It was amazing what the other woman could do with a can of Campbells soup and a box of frozen chicken breasts. She'd even made dessert with some yougurt and a bag of frozen blueberries Abby had bought, shoved into the freezer and then promptly forgot about.

Things were actually going pretty welll. Abby thought she might even be able to make it through the evening unscathed.

There was one moment, however, after dinner when she offered Ziva a cup of her special, Spanish coffee. She brewed them each a cup, added in just the right amounts of whiskey and brandy and hot chocolate then presented one to Ziva, who took an experimental sip and let out a low, appreciative moan. Abby's lower muscles clenched painfully and her heart siezed momentarily in her chest at the thought of other ways she could make Ziva moan like that. But other than that, things were just fine. They watched a movie and talked a bit and Abby was feeling proud of herself for keeping it in check almost all night.

Then, Ziva emerged from her shower in a pair of boxers and a wife beater tank top, her hair a sodden tangle and her cheeks flushed from the heat of the steamy bathroom and Abby had to grip the kitchen counter to remain upright as her knees grew week.

What was it about Ziva that made even baggy shorts and a tank top sexy? It wasn't like the shorts were skimpy and revealing, they were just regular old mens boxers. And the top wasn't particularly tight or low cut, it was a simple cotton tank top that hung a little too long and looked looser than it should around the collar, as if it had been stretched out from overuse.

Yet Abby's eyes nearly bugged out of her head at the sight of her toned, muscular arms and the expanse of smooth thigh. So much for getting through the night.

"Abby, are you all right?"

She glanced over at Ziva and realized that once again her friend had managed to sneak up on her and get into her personal space without her noticing. That was three times tonight.

She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't hide and she couldn't pretend. That just wasn't who she was.

Slowly, Abby shook her head. "No, Ziva, I'm not all right."

Immediately, Ziva leaned in closer, peering at Abby in concern as she pressed one hand to her forehead. "Do you feel sick? Do you have a fever?"

"No. I'm not sick. It's just...I..." She decided to show Ziva instead of tell her, knowing she would never get the words right. Besides, if this was going to blow up in her face she wanted to have at least one wonderful, perfect kiss.

She surged forward and captured Ziva's lips with her own, felt the surprised exhalation of air against her lips and then an unresisting softness. Her hands came up to cup Ziva's face, holding her there as she deepened the kiss even while she expected to be pushed away.

Unsurprisingly, Ziva stepped back. Unexpectedly, she gripped Abby's hips and pulled her along with her. In two steps she was backed against the wall with Abby pressed up against her. Ziva's fingers dug into her skin, pulling her closer, tighter and Abby angled her hips towards her.

They kissed until Abby's knees grew week and dots floated against her eyelids. Reluctantly she pulled back and rested her forehead against Ziva's as she tried to catch her breath.

When her heart rate dropped back to normal and her pulse slowed she slid her fingers behind Ziva's neck, tangled her fingers in her soft, damp curls and pulled back to meet her friends eyes. Ziva tilted her head back to meet her gaze, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"Is this what has been bothering you lately?" Ziva askes softly.

Abby had thought she'd been hiding it very well. Apparently not. She supposed it wasn't all that surprising. Ziva had been trained to notice people and their behaviour and their body language.

Reluctantly, she nodded.

"Do we need to talk about this?" she asked, knowing that they should but not sure she wanted to face that conversation yet.

For a long moment, Ziva was silent then she shook her head.

"Do you...do you want to stop?"

The length of Ziva's silence made Abby nervous but once again, she shook her head.

At that, Abby couldn't resist, she dipped her head and kissed Ziva softly. The other woman's lips parted for her, allowing, inviting her tongue to slip out and explore. This kiss was slower, softer but no less passionate. Until with a soft moan, ZIva withdrew.

But she didn't go far. She pressed light, barely there kisses along the line of Abby's jaw and down her neck until she reached the pulse point at the base of her throat and then her kisses grew wet and hot as Abby tightened the grip she had on her curls and tipped her head back with a groan.

Ziva kissed her way across the base of Abby's throat and up the other side of her neck, nipping and sucking at the skin until Abby guided her back to her lips. She bit down on Ziva's lower lip and then sucked on it gently as Ziva's fingers dug into her shoulders.

The kiss deepened.

Ziva's legs came up to wrap around Abby's waist. She could feel the damp heat of her through the flimsy material of her shorts against the bare skin of her stomach where her shirt had ridden up and it was only the combined weight of their bodies against the wall that held them up because Abby's legs turned to jelly.

Ziva rolled her hips and Abby pressed back into her,their motions creating a friction that left her trembling and yet was not nearly satisfying enough.

She somehow had enough presence of mind to realize that they wouldn't be able to remain upright for long like that though. So she mustered up her strength, wrapped her arms around Ziva's back and took a few staggering steps backwards into the living room, where she she fell backwards onto the couch, pulling Ziva down on top of her.

All without breaking the kiss.

Ziva's weight held her down, pinning her in place against the couch cushions in all the places their bodies touched, which was pretty much from head to toe. And still it wasn't enough contact. She wrapped her legs around Ziva and clutched her back, trying to bring her even closer still.

Breathless and panting, Abby withdrew from the kiss and buried her face in Ziva's shoulder as she drew in deep, ragged breaths. Ziva shuddered against her and shifted her weight, bringing her leg up between Abby's thighs to press against her center.

Ziva's lips nipped at her neck, her tongue traced the webbing of the tattoo on her neck and Abby's head fell back against the cushions as a low moan escaped her throat.

"God, Ziva." She didn't even recognize her own voice as it tore from her lips at the sensations Ziva was creating within her with the use of her lips, teeth and tongue.

She slid her hands beneath Ziva's tank top, her fingers trailing across soft, velvety skin, up Ziva's back and down her sides and back up again to the undersides of her breasts.

"Wait. Abby, stop."

The words took a few minutes to register but as soon as they had her eyes flew open and she pulled her hands from beneath Ziva's shirt. Her body protested at the loss of contact as Ziva rolled off the couch and paced across the room.

"Ziva? What is it? What's wrong?" Abby scrambled to right herself, her legs and arms feeling loose and gangly. By the time she'd managed to push herself into a sitting positon, Ziva had turned and made her way back across the room to stand in front of Abby.

"I thought I could do this, but I can not," Ziva said softly, her face expressionless, her eyes unreadable.

Abby was on her feet and reaching out for Ziva, only to let it fall back to her side as Ziva took a step back, out of reach.

"I thought that I could put my feelings aside, just for one night, and be with you but it is...I can not."

Abby stared at her, trying to understand. "Your feelings..." Like a light bulb going off in her head, she got it.

She had been so caught up in dealing with how she was feeling, trying to keep her physical reactions to her friend concealed, that she hadn't stopped to consider how Ziva actually played into this. It hadn't even occured to her to wonder how Ziva might feel.

"You have feelings for me? Since when?"

"Abby-"

"No. Sorry, that's not the point." She shook her head. But she could not clear the thought from her mind. "You like me?" She couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips.

Ziva sighed. "I did not tell you this so that you could tease me."

"What? No. I'm not. I..." She chanced taking a step closer and was pleased when Ziva did not back up. "Y'know, I kinda like the idea." The grin got wider as she gave it a little more thought.

Ziva stared at her, warily.

"Of us. Together." This time when she reached out, Ziva did not step back and Abby cupped her cheek. "I'd be willing to give it a try."

Ziva leaned into her touch, her eyes fluttering closed as she let out a soft sigh.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:**I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds the rights to them

**Pairing: **Abby/Ziva NCIS

**Summary:** A look at the progression of their relationship, femslash style.

**Spoilers:**There are vague references to various episodes throughout. None in this chapter though.

**Timeline:** Starts in season three and spans through to season six. This chapter specifically is sixth season,between episodes 2 & 3

**Rating:**Mature audiences only.

xxIceEyesxx27 , thank you. And thanks for leaving a review.

elfspirit7 Yeah, I figured it was finally time for our girls to get some. Thanks for reading/commenting.

livmissy Thanks. I thought about leaving it a cliffhanger, but I couldn't do that to you.

Thanks for reading, I'm glad you're still enjoying the story.

RicepaperButterfly Thank you. I appreciate the comments, even if you feel like you're repeating yourself, it confirms to me that I'm still on target. The build up to this is pretty important to me, so I'm glad you think I got it right. Thanks for reading and replying.

LittleSpooky Sorry about the scare. But, it was worth it in the end though, right?

**Chapter 10**

Abby stroked the velvety skin of Ziva's cheek with her thumb and Ziva turned her head into the touch, placing a soft kiss against Abby's palm. She felt a heat roll through her that wasn't the least bit physical. A wave of affection so strong it knocked the breath out of her and left her knees weak and trembling.

It wasn't love. But it could be, with time.

It was strange. Abby hadn't even considered entering into a relationship with Ziva. She'd been so focused on hiding her bodies physical reactions and hoping her lust would fade before she did something stupid and wrecked their friendship that the idea of a relationship hadn't even occured to her.

Yet as soon as Ziva had said she had feelings for Abby, had hinted that she might be interested in something more between them Abby had been taken by the idea.

And suddenly she wanted it too. More than she would have thought possible.

She slid her hand to cup the back of Ziva's neck and slowly pulled the other woman closer to press a gentle kiss against her lips.

She pulled back before the kiss could grow too heated. She was going to do this right. Ziva was too important to her to mess this up.

"Tomorrow night, I'm going to take you out. A proper date. Somewhere nice." She was already imagining possibilities. "We'll have dinner, maybe take a walk. The city is really beautiful at night. All the lights..." she trailed off, her thoughts racing ahead of her as she began to envision a perfect evening for the two of them.

She had to show Ziva that she was in this for real. That she wasn't playing with her emotions or saying she wanted a relationship just to get laid.

"I would like that," Ziva said softly, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. Not a smirk or a grin but a genuine smile.

"Me too." Abby returned the smile, feeling suddenly exited and eager over the prospect of dating Ziva.

She wrapped her arms around Ziva's waist and held her loosely as a thought occured to her. "Just so you know, I don't put out on the first date. Or before the first date," she added.

It was one thing to engage in a fling, when the only thing that mattered was having fun and feeling good but as soon as emotions became invloved there was a proper way to do it.

Ziva laughed lightly. "I am glad. There is something quite exciting about the buildup, no? In the anticipation?"

She leaned in close as she said this, her lips ghosting against Abby's ear, her breath brushing across her skin. Abby shivered and tightened her grip, momentarily wondering if she shouldn't just abandon her policy. But no, Ziva was right. She quite enjoyed the courtship stage and part of the fun of it was that feeling of expectation and anticipation, wondering what that first time would feel like.

She tried to form a response to Ziva's words but all the could do was nod. She had gotten a taste of what it would be like to be with Ziva and now knew that the real thing would be even more amazing than she'd ever imagined.

"Kissing, however, is fine. Even before the first date." She turned her head to capture Ziva's lips once again, a soft murmer escaping as she did.

When they pulled apart, they were both breathless and panting.

"I think we're going to have to be careful with the kissing," Abby muttered, fanning her face to cool herself off and taking a step backwards. Being so close to Ziva, even just standing next to her, was doing all kinds of things to her senses and she needed a moment to let her body relax.

Her knees hit the back of the couch and she let herself sink down into it. Then she reached out and tugged Ziva's wrist, pulling the other woman down beside her then wrapping an arm around her. Ziva leaned into Abby's side, head resting against her shoulder and one arm draped across her stomach.

"How long?" Abby asked into the silence.

"What?"

"How long have you had feelings for me?" She knew it wasn't really a fair question but she was curious, wanted to know.

Ziva was silent for a long moment. Long enough that Abby was about to open her mouth and tell her never mind, forget it, they could talk about this another time.

"I was always attracted to you. You are a beautiful woman, Abigail. But I did not pay much attention to it. For one thing, you did not like me at the time."

Abby winced at the reminder, but Ziva's words were not bitter or accusing, simply matter of fact. And she knew that the younger woman did not hold any grudges against her for past behaviours. They were past that now.

"And then we started to become friends and I pushed the attraction aside. I much rather preffered your friendship to a fling."

Abby nodded, that part sounded familiar.

"It was when I was away that I realized how deep my feelings for you ran. Out of everyone, I thought of you more often. I missed you the most."

"If I hadn't kissed you tonight, would you have said anything?"

"I do not know. Most likely, no."

The answer tugged at Abby's heart but she was glad that Ziva was at least being honest with her. She tightened her grip, pulling Ziva more firmly against her.

They sat like that for awhile, talking quietly some but mostly just silently enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms. Sometime after midnight, Abby felt her eyes drifting closed, her thoughts growing fuzzy. She was vaguely aware of being gently guided into lying down onto the couch and of the warmth of a body settling next to her and then she was falling away into sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:**I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds the rights to them

**Pairing: **Abby/Ziva NCIS

**Summary:** A look at the progression of their relationship, femslash style.

**Spoilers:**There are vague references to various episodes throughout. This chapter specifically references episode 6X03 Capitol Offense

**Timeline:** Starts in season three and spans through to season six. This chapter specifically is sixth season,between episodes 2 & 3

**Rating:**G

**Author's Note**:I'm going to be away for a few days, it's the last long weekend of the summer. And I won't have internet access while I'm gone so the next update will be a little bit longer coming.

livmissy I hate it when writers leaving me hanging so I try not to do the same thing. Thanks for your review. Your comments were a nice way to end my day. :)

elfspirit7 Thanks. Glad you're still enjoying the story.

MonteyIsLove Thank you.

Abby woke up feeling groggy and disoriented the next morning. Her muscles ached from being curled in the same position for far too long and it took a moment to remember why she had fallen asleep on the couch instead of getting up and heading to bed. Then last night came rushing back to he and suddenly all the aches and pains became worth it.

She was dissapointed at waking up alone but couldn't help smiling at the memory of Ziva waking her up around 5 or so that morning with soft, feathery kisses to her face and neck.

_"Mmmm," she let out a soft moan as she drifted into wakefullness, slowly becoming aware of the world around her. _

_The first thing she noticed was that the room was much to dark, meaning she still had a few hour left to sleep before having to get up. The next thing that registered was the warmth and weight of somebody lying against her. And that somebody was leaning in close, their breath warm against her cheek and their hair tickling her skin. _

_Instead of opening her eyes she burrowed further into the dark warmth of Ziva's shoulder. "'s, too early."_

_"I have to go," Ziva said softly, her mouth against Abby's ear. _

_At her words, Abby started to sit up. _

_"No, go back to sleep." Ziva pressed a kiss to her temple. "I am going to go home, go for a run and then head into work. I will see you later today. We are still on for dinner, yes?"_

_"Mmhmm. Wear something nice. I wanna see you in a dress."_

_Ziva let out a wordless murmer, kissed her lightly and was gone. _

Now, two hours later Abby was awake for real and marveling over the events of the last 12 hours. A part of her wasn't sure that it wasn't all just a dream. A wonderful, very vivid dream.

Any doubts about the veracity of last night were put to rest when she stopped into the squad room before heading down to the lab. As soon as she stepped off the elevators, Ziva beckoned her over.

"What's up, Ziva?" she asked, shooting a glance across the room to Tony and McGee, who were both watching their exchange with interest.

"I have something for you," Ziva said softly, when Abby reached her desk. She reached into her drawer and pulled out a small white box wrapped in a red ribbon.

"Ziva..." she glanced at the box and then over at the guys, who were watching and not even trying to pretend they weren't.

"Open it."

Abby pulled the box over to rest in front of her and reached for the ribbon, casting one last glance at Ziva as she did. The other woman smiled encouragingly at her and nodded.

Carefully she untied the ribbon and pulled the tabs free of the box, revealing a chocolate cupcake covered with white frosting flakes.

"Looks scrumptious," she said, glancing up and noticing the smug, slightly suggestive grin on Ziva's face.

"They call it Chocoholics Choice. Claim it is the ultimate cupcake."

Abby stared down at her gift, then back up at Ziva. She couldn't help but be touched by this small gesture.

It shouldn't have surprised her to realize that Ziva had a romantic side. And yet it did.

"Oh, it smells great." McGee's voice in her ear startled her, she'd forgotten that he and Tony were there.

"Don't you dare." She slapped Tony's hand away just before he could take a swipe of chocolate icing.

She had no intention of sharing even the tiniest crumb with anybody. Well, Ziva could have some but the guys definitely weren't getting any.

"Isn't this the week you're going gluten free?"

Abby ignored Tony's comment as she rounded the desk to give Ziva a hug. A hug which the other woman not only received willingly but also returned. In public. It was still a concept that Abby was getting used to.

"Thank you, Ziva. You shouldn't have."

She hugged Ziva hard and tight, feeling as much as hearing her murmer at the contact, then let go despite the fact that she would have liked to simply hold her close for much, much longer. And maybe give her a kiss or two, or twelve. What she wouldn't give for a few minutes of privacy in a locked room. But for now, a brief hug would have to do.

Ziva released her hold, but didn't entirely let go, leaving her arms clasped loosely around Abby's waist as she said, "I owe you for letting me sleep at your place."

Their eyes met and Abby caught on that the words were just for show but the gesture was very much real.

She tightened her grip on Ziva's shoulder and felt a return pressure at her waist. For a brief moment, Ziva leaned into the touch then they both turned their gazes to where McGee and Tony were standing, watching them in stunned silence.

It was, of course, Tony who spoke first. Recovering his witts enough to say "Slumber party, you two spent the night together?"

The two of them exchanged a knowing glance. If Tony had any idea about even half of what they had done last night, his brain would probably explode.

"What's going on here, McGee?"

"Don't know, don't care DiNosey."

Abby let her arm linger around Ziva a moment longer before letting go, running her fingers gently across the back of her neck as she slid her arm away, earning her a smutty grin and a slightly raised eyebrow.

She nearly shivered at the simmering heat in Ziva's eyes as their gazes met. Those unfathomable dark pools held hints of promise that Abby dared not contemplate at work. If she did, she wouldn't get anything done today.

Ziva might be able to tease and flirt without being driven to distraction but Abby could not. She grabbed her delicious looking treat and escaped to the safey of her lab.

It wasn't until she had tucked the pasty into her fridge and set about getting her machines up and running that a thought occured to her. A sliver of memory from a conversation they'd had months ago popped into her head and gave her pause. The comment, offhand and said with a shrug now held much more weight.

Ziva had never been in a relationship with a woman before. She had never been willing to risk her father finding out. She had slept with them but not formed any real attachment. What was it she'd called them, distractions? Flings.

The magnitude of what Ziva was doing here hit Abby full force. And she was determined to handle this with the utmost care.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else owns the rights to them.

**Pairing**:Abby and Ziva NCIS

**Summary**:A look at the relationship between Abby and Ziva as it develops.

**Timeline**: Starting in season three and spanning through to season six. This chapter specifically follows after Season 6, episode 3. I believe the title is Capitol Offense.

**Spoilers:**There are references to various episodes throughout. This one has a few vague spoilers for Capitol Offense

**Rating**: G This one's pretty tame.

**Author's Note:** This one took awhile to write, got hit with writers block a couple paragraphs in but once I got back into it I made it nice and long to make up for the wait.

xxIceEyesxx27 Thank you.

livmissy Thanks for reading, and replying.

**Chapter 12**

It wasn't so much the fact that McGee had stolen her cupcake that bothered Abby. Although, that did piss her off. Did nobody have any respect for personal property anymore? But really, this wasn't about the cupcake at all. It wasn't like she couldn't just go out and buy herself another one. No. It was that someone had stolen the cupcake that Ziva had given her. Something she had gone out of her way to get just for Abby.

That trip to the bakery had broken her normal daily routine, likely cutting into the time she would have spend running or getting ready for work. Who know what she'd skimped on to work those extra minutes into her morning. Had she cut a few miles out of her run? Spend a bit less time with her coffee and the morning paper? Rushed through her shower?

She'd gone out of her way to do something nice, only to have someone steal the cupcake from Abby's fridge. So what if nobody else knew just what the cupcake meant. That didn't mean that it gave them the right to just take it. But, McGee had. Now Abby wouldn't get to tell Ziva how much she loved her gift or that she'd eaten it at lunch and savoured every bite of it.

And to top it off, with the case they were working they hadn't been able to go to dinner either. So now Abby wouldn't be able to see Ziva dressed up all pretty and sexy, sitting across from her at the restaurant giving her teasing glances and flirty smiles.

Of course, the evening was about more than that. Abby's plan had been to take Ziva out and show her that she was serious about this dating thing. That even though it wasn't something she'd previously thought about she wanted it now.

Ziva was risking everything here. Not only was she putting her heart on the line, something Abby knew she didn't often do, but she was risking her family as well. She knew that the younger woman's relationship with her father was difficult but he was the only family she had. Despite their issues, she loved him. And she was willing to risk that, risk him finding out, to be with Abby. All Abby wanted to do was show Ziva that she understood and appreciated everything the other woman was doing for her.

Instead she was sitting alone in her apartment flipping through old movies and infomercials feeling sorry for herself.

When a knock sounded at her door, she was tempted to ignore it but when another sounded, this one a little louder she let out a sigh and hauled herself to her feet. A third and fourth knock followed before she could reach her door and when she did she yanked it open. The word "what" died on her lips at the site of Ziva standing in the hallway, one arm raised to knock, the other holding a white bakery box.

Ziva held out the box before Abby could say a word. Automtically she reached out to take it. A quick peek inside confirmed her suspicions, a half dozen Chocoholics Choice cupcakes.

"Aww, Ziva, you shouldn't have." Abby set the box on the table beside the door and took a step closer to press a gentle kiss to Ziva's lips. She was touched by the gesture, it was such a sweet thing for Ziva to do. And yet she couldn't quite muster up the same level of enthusiasm for the gift as she had that morning.

"Technically, I did not," Ziva said with a smirk. "But, I am sure when McGee realizes he bought these for you he will agree it was the right thing for him to do, to make up for what he did this morning."

Abby let out a surprised laugh and saw Ziva's smirk grow wider.

Her laughter faded and she realized that Ziva was still standing in her hallway and she blushed as she stepped back to usher the other woman in.

"What is wrong, Abby?" Ziva didn't budge, she stood just outside the doorway staring at Abby intently, her brow furrowed slightly.

"Nothing." Abby shook her head and gripped Ziva's arm, pulling her into the apartment. Ziva allowed herself to be led inside just far enough for the door to swing shut behind her, then she eased her arm from Abby's grip and met her gaze squarely.

"Something is bothering you."

Abby opened her mouth to protest, to deny. Since when had Ziva learned to read her so well? It was annoying. And somewhat flattering.

"This wasn't how tonight was supposed to go." Abby flung her arm out in an encompasing gesture, indicating her dimly lit apartment with the flickering tv and the chinese takeout containers on her coffee table and her in her pajamas. "I had a whole special evening planned and now it's all ruined. And McGee ate my cupcake and-"

Her rant was cut off by a pair of soft lips against hers, by the heat of a body pressed into her. Her thoughts swirled away as she parted her lips to receive the kiss and her hands came up to rest on Ziva's waist, the response of her body almost automatic. An errant thought of how natural it felt and how quickly it had come to feel that way drifted into her mind and then fell away as Ziva's tongue slid between her lips and stroked her own. She deepened the kiss, losing herself in the sensations.

A long moment passed before they pulled apart and Abby gripped Ziva's waist tightly, holding the other woman in place and steadying herself. She was sitll getting used to this breathless, dizzy feeling that Ziva's kisses left her with.

"I do not care how we spend our time," Ziva said, meeting Abby's eye and holding her gaze. "As long as we spend it together."

Abby tried not to blush under the intensity of Ziva's gaze. "Who knew you were such a sweet talker?" She shook her head, still trying to wrap her mind around this new side of Ziva. She kissed Ziva's forhead. "You do realize this puts me at something of a disadvantage," she said, gesturing to the cupcake box. "It's 2-0 now."

Ziva's gaze was quizzical for a moment then understanding dawned and she frowned. "I did not realize we were keeping score."

"What? No. We're not. It's just...we've been together for just over 24 hours and already you've...you brought me presents. Twice. And I haven't...I've..." she trailed off and threw her hands up in frustration. She knew she wasn't explaining herself very well. Abby didn't need to see Ziva's brow furrow or her the faint downward turn of her lips to know that she wasn't making a whole lot of sense.

"I just...I wanted to show you that I'm in this, y'know?"

A smile playing at the corner of her lips, Ziva shook her head. "No. You are not making any sense at all. But, I understand."

"You do?"

"Yes, Abby. I believe I do." Her smile softened, becoming less teasing and more kind. "Thank you." Her words were quiet but heartfelt. Abby felt a myriad of emotions surge through her, some more easily defined than others. But it filled her with a sense of affection and calm and she couldn't help smiling.

"I know it's late, but do you want to stay for a bit?" Abby asked, fervently hoping that the answer would be yes.

"I would like that, yes."

Abby grinned."So, um, do you wanna try one of those cupcakes?" . Without waiting for an answer she released her hold on Ziva and stepped around her to grab the box and headed into the kitchen. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be out in a minute."

She heard the faint rustle of clothing as Ziva took off her jacket. The faint shuffle of socked feet against carpet told her Ziva had kicked off her shoes and was now crossing her living room, probably to settle on the couch. Abby quickly gathered up plates and napkins and cups, poured them each a drink and then returned to the living room, juggling everything in her arms.

Ziva rose to help her, but Abby insisted that she had it and within moments had everything laid out on the coffee table.

"Milk, Abby?" Ziva gestured with her glass, looking somewhat skeptical.

"Trust me, nothing goes better with chocolate cake."

Ziva nodded, still not looking convinced.

Abby shrugged. "You'll see." And, she waited for it. Watching Ziva out of the corner of her eye as she ate half of her cupcake and then took a tentative swallow of milk. Then another, deeper sip.

She glanced over at Abby, a smile playing on her lips. "Mmm, Sexy and brilliant,"

Abby grinned. "You think I'm sexy?"

Abby had never had body image issues but there was just something about the idea of someone as hot as Ziva thinking she was sexy that she had trouble wrapping her head around.

"Most definitely." Ziva leaned forward for a chocolate flavoured kiss that made Abby's head spin. The cupcakes, as delcious as they were, got forgotten as Abby gripped Ziva's shirt, pulling her into and then onto her as she lost her balance and fell backwards onto the couch.

They kissed until they were breathless and Abby's body was aching for the feel of Ziva's bare skin beneath her fingers, her lips. For the feel of that tight, soft body pressed flush against hers without clothes as a barrier between them.

With a groan, Ziva pulled out of the kiss and let her head drop onto Abby's shoulder. "It is late. I should go." With catlike grace she rolled off Abby and landed on her feet beside the couch.

Abby reached out and snagged Ziva's wrist gently. "Stay."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else owns the rights to them.  
**Pairing:** Abby and Ziva NCIS  
**Summary:** A look at the relationship between Abby and Ziva as it develops.  
**Timeline:** Starting in season three and spanning through to season six. This chapter specifically follows after Season 6, episode 3. I believe the title is Capitol Offense.  
**Spoilers:** There are references to various episodes throughout. This one doesn't mention any particular episode.  
**Author's Note:** This chapter was a hard one to write. I struggled with it for days, trying to get it right and I'm still not completely satisfied with it, but I really don't see it getting any better. I hope that you all enjoy it and that it doesn't suck too much.

Thanks, as always to those of you who read and replied. Your comments mean the world to me and make my day. You rock. Seriously.

**Chapter 13**

Ziva turned to look at her, uncertainty etched across her features.

"What about your first date rule?"

Abby let out a groan as she remembered their conversation from the night before. "It's a stupid rule."

Ziva's lips twitched in a smile she was obviously trying to hold back. Abby knew that she'd probably sounded like a petulant five year old but she couldn't quite bring herself to care. Her skin still tingled from Ziva's touch and she couldn't seem to focus on anything beyond getting that sensation back. Her body ached to have Ziva back on top of her, pressing into her.

She tugged Ziva's wrist gently, bringing the other woman a step closer. "That rule only exists to stop people from thinking that I'm easy."

That wasn't entirely true, although that was part of it. Her rule had, in turns, stopped her from wrecking good relationships by moving too fast and prevented her from getting too involved with people who weren't worth her time and effort.

She used the first date as a gauge. If the person she was with seemed overly dissapointed at the end of the evening, when they were sent home alone, she generally didn't bother with them again. Abby didn't mind the occasional one night stand, but only when she knew that's what she'd signed on for. She didn't like being used just for sex. And if things went well and they connected then she let things progress naturally from there.

She hadn't ever really dated someone she'd been friends with before. At least, not anybody she'd gotten as close to as she had with Ziva. They had already connected. She already knew that her feelings for Ziva ran pretty deep.

She didn't know how all this was supposed to work. All she did know was that her body was craving Ziva's touch and she'd never wanted anyone as much as she wanted Ziva right now.

"Abby, you are anything but easy."

She wasn't sure if Ziva was teasing her or if she had truly misunderstood her words.

"It means someone who will sleep with anybody."

"And, you are not concerned that I will think you are easy?"

Abby rolled her eyes. "I think we both know that's not true."

Ziva smirked and raised an eyebrow, feigning skepticism but the humor did not reach her eyes and suddenly Abby realized how this must look to the younger woman. They hadn't even gone out, officially, as a couple, yet and already Abby was pressuring her to spend the night.

She was acting just like those overly horny guys that she turned away at the end of the night. Even though they had both agreed to wait, here she was, trying to coax Ziva into having sex.

She felt like such a jerk.

Her libido was the last thing on her mind as she tugged Ziva's wrist again and said, "we don't even have to do anything just please, stay."

Ziva raised and eyebrow at her again.

"I swear. I just want to fall asleep holding you."

Ziva hesitated a moment and then nodded.

Pleased by the younger woman's choice, Abby rose and guided Ziva towards the bedroom.

"I'm sure I have something you can borrow to sleep in. It might be a little big but..." she dropped her grip on Ziva's wrist as they entered her bedroom and she headed for her dresser. After rifling through it for a few minutes she found an old, faded plain black t-shirt and a pair of shorts that were a size too small when she'd bought them but had never gotten around to returning.

"Did you want to shower or anything?"

"Do you mind?"

"Of course not. There's extra towels in the cabinet beside the sink. Help yourself to soap and shampoo or whatever."

"Thank you, Abby."

Ziva took the proffered clothing and dissapeared into the bathroom. Abby climbed into bed and stretched out, listening to the sounds of the other woman moving around in the other room. She drifted off to the sound of the shower running and stirred awake when Ziva stepped back into the bedroom, flicking the light off before making her way across to the bed, where she hesitated a moment before sliding beneath the covers and lying on her back next to Abby. As soon as Ziva had settled in Abby rolled onto her side and wrapped an arm and a leg around her.

"Are you going to be getting up at some ungodly hour of the morning again?"

"I will be getting up for my run at five tomorrow, yes." Ziva shifted onto her side and draped her arm around Abby's waist.

Abby groaned at the thought of being up that early in the morning. "Will you wake me before you go, like you did this morning?" she whispered as she buried her face in the crook of Ziva's neck.

"If you want, yes."

"And, will you let me take you out for dinner, like we were supposed to do tonight?"

"I would like that. Very much."

Abby pressed a kiss against the side of Ziva's neck and let her eyes drift shut. "Good night, Zee."

"Good night, Abby."

Abby wasn't quite sure what woke her the next morning. It could have been the slivers of light that seeped through the edges of her blind, slowly brightening the room as the sun rose. Or it could have been the gentle rasp of breathing next to her ear. Or maybe it was the slight shifting of the surface beneath her. Whatever it was, it stirred her awake just before seven. With a faint groan she stretched out to her full height and peeked at the neon letters projected onto her wall by the clock on her bedside table. 6:40. Still twenty minutes before her alarm was set to go off.

That couldn't be right. It was almost seven, and Ziva was still lying beside her.

"Ziva?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're still here? I thought you were going for a run."

She felt more than heard Ziva's chuckle. "I tried. Someone would not let me up."

It was then that Abby became fully aware of their positions. Ziva was on her back and Abby was practically sprawled on top of her, legs draped over hers, head tucked into the crook of her neck...and one hand gently cupping her breast beneath the fabric of her t-shirt.

"Ziva, I'm sorry. I didn't...I was..." A blush heated her cheeks and she quickly pulled her hand back, only to have Ziva grab her wrist, stopping her.

"It's fine, Abby."

"You missed your run."

"I can make it up later."

"God, Ziva. I am sorry. I didn't mean to...to...hold you hostage in my bed."

"It really is fine, Abby."

"I wasn't trying to cop a feel, I swear. I must have done it while I was sleeping. You must think I'm horrible, after last night and now this, this morning. I really-"

"Abby."

At Ziva's sharp tone she cut herself off and raised her head to meet Ziva's gaze. She was surprised to see her eyes shining with amusement.

"There are worse ways to wake up."

Abby's heart felt a hundred times lighter as she took in Ziva's teasing smile.

"Yeah?" She felt a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Yeah."

"I really am sorry about your run."

"I know."

"And for molesting you in your sleep."

"I know."

"And for pushing you last night."

Ziva's smile softened as she nodded. "I know."

"We agreed to wait. It wasn't fair of me to try and force you-"

"You did not try and force me," Ziva interrupted her. "Coax, maybe. Persuade, certainly. But you never forced anything on me."

"Okay, but still. It wasn't fair of me to try and get you to go back on the agreement we made. And, you have to know that I do respect you-"

"That was never in question, Abby."

"And I am taking this relationship seriously. It's just, damn it Ziva you are hot. And when you kiss me..." she trailed off, shivering as her body remembered the feeling of Ziva's lips on hers.

"Do you not think it is the same for me?"

Ziva's question gave her pause. She'd never really thought of that. Ziva always seemed to have such poise and control. She was always the one to pull away, to break things off when they got too intense.

"The things you do to me..."Ziva trailed off, her eyes going foggy for a minute, as if remembering. And Abby couldn't help the faint smirk that graced her lips.

"But I want our first time to mean something. I have slept with a lot of people that didn't mean much of anything to me. So when you and I finally do make love I want it to be special."

Abby nodded. She understood. It was hard to abide by sometimes but she did understand. And she felt the same way.

"Define a lot."

Ziva chuckled. "Figures you would pick up on that, out of everything I just said."

Abby shifted her weight so she was lying fully on top of Ziva and gazing down into her eyes. "I heard everything you just said," she said softly, holding Ziva's stare. "And I agree, wholeheartedly." She dipped her head and captured Ziva's lips for a deep, slow kiss.

Just then, her alarm blared, startling them both. Abby rolled off Ziva, onto her back and let out a frustrated groan as Ziva uttered what sounded like a curse in a language she assumed was hebrew.

The moment broken, Abby eased out of bed and shut the alarm off. "So, how about you let me cook you breakfast?"

"You can cook?"

"I can cook." Abby tried not to feel offended by the question. She might not be a great chef like Ziva but she knew her way around a stove.

"And all this time, you have been letting me cook for you? And you never said a word?"

Abby gave a sheepish shrug. "You're really good."

Ziva laughed softly. "Breakfast sounds great." 


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else owns the rights to them.  
**Pairing:** Abby and Ziva NCIS  
**Summary:** A look at the relationship between Abby and Ziva as it develops.  
**Timeline:** Starting in season three and spanning through to season six.

**Spoilers:** There are references to various episodes throughout. This one doesn't mention any particular episode.  
**Author's Note:**

elfspirit7 Thanks for reading. And commenting. I'll keep posting chapters as quickly as I can.

Moon FireStar Thank you, very much. I am flattered and honoured that you're reading the story even if you don't ship Abby & Ziva. And even more so that it's actually made you consider the pairing. Whether or not you do decide to "jump ship" I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.

bitten2 Thank you.

**Chapter 14**

They tried to keep their relationship away from their work. It wasn't that they didn't want the others to know, they did. And eventually they would tell them. But they just wanted to keep it to themselves for awhile. It was still so new and they wanted a couple months to sort things out without their friends and colleages weighing in.

When the time was right, they would tell the others. Until then, they agree not to behave any differently towards each other.

For the most part, it wasn't too hard. Usually, Abby was down in her lab processing evidence and Ziva was out in the field or up in the squadroom, following leads. Their paths didn't cross more than once or twice a day.

When they did see each other, well Abby was just glad that she and Ziva had become good enough friends in the time leading up to them getting together that they could stand close enough that their shoulders touched and their hands brushed together without raising any eyebrows. Nobody was going to ask any questions if she rested her hand on the small of Ziva's back as she instructed her to look at something on the computer or think anything was suspicious if they caught her leading Ziva across the lab by the hand. They'd just think that she was Abby and she was always hugging and touching people.

And it was a good thing too because she didn't think that she could go a whole day without touching Ziva in some way. She'd go crazy if she were forced to stand so close and not be able to get even a brush of fingers against soft skin. It was like she was addicted to Ziva and the faint touches were a quick fix to get her through the day, until she could have Ziva alone in one of their apartments to hold her close and run her fingers across her skin or through her hair.

The hard part, for Abby, was when Ziva was out in the field. Knowing she was in harms way left Abby beside herself with worry until they she came back. And even then, that feeling of nervous anticipation didn't fully dissapear until she was able to hold Ziva close and see that she was alive and whole and she could reassure herself that she was okay.

She worried about the entire team when they were out in the field but with Ziva it was different. More intense, deeper. It was all she could do not to rush up to the squad room and throw herself into Ziva's arms upon her return each time.

And then the unthinkable happened. Ziva got hurt. What was to be a simple questioning of a potential witness turned into a firefight and a nasty takedown. The witness had actually been a participant in the crime and had freaked out when he saw the navy cops coming to get him. Ziva's arm had gotten grazed, a laceration more than a bullet hole and Tony had dislocated his shoulder taking the guy down. They were minor injuries to be sure but that didn't stop Abby from waiting impatiently in the squad room for them to return. She stood in the middle of the bullpen, bouncing on the balls of her feet and staring at the elevator, willing it to ding, announcing their arrival.

When it finally did and the doors slid open to reveal Tony and Ziva looking haggard and weary, Abby was suddenly torn. She took in the site of them, Tony with his arm in a sling, a bruise forming on his cheek and a red welt on his forehead. And Ziva, her upper arm covered in a thick white bandage, her jacket draped over her shoulders instead of being worn properly so she wouldn't irritate the wound.

Everyone would expect her to to go Tony first. Of the two of them, his injuries looked the most severe. And they'd known each other longer. Were better friends, as far as anyone knew. If she rushed to Ziva, it would raise suspicion. Especially since Abby was certain that, with how she was feeling, in this moment, if she were to touch Ziva, she wouldn't be able to hold herself together. And she would definitely give them away.

She let out a sigh and strode across the room to wrap her arms around Tony, who was a step or two ahead of Ziva coming off the elevator.

"I was so worried," she exclaimed, squeezing him tightly.

He let out a soft grunt, but didn't complain about the force of her grip and put his good arm around her. Abby leaned into his embrace but cast her gaze over his shoulder to Ziva, trying to let her know that her words were meant for her.

The moment she met Ziva's eye, Abby knew she had made the wrong choice. Even though her expression never changed the hurt that flashed through her eyes before she could reign it in and push it down was unmistakable and enough to break Abby's heart.

She was having a hard time breathing as she pulled away from Tony. She barely felt the kiss he brushed against her cheek or the squeeze he gave her arm before moving past her to where McGee and Gibbs were waiting.

Worldlessly, she closed the distance between her and Ziva and wrapped her in a tight embrace. Ziva accepted the hug stiffly, one arm coming to rest against Abby's back for a moment before falling away. Tears pricked at Abby's eyes as she reluctantly drew back.

"i was so worried," she repeated.

"I am fine. It is just a scratch."

"Just a scratch? You got grazed by a bullet. That's more than just a scratch."

"I did not even need stitches."

As if that were all that mattered. Someone had shot at Ziva and it didn't mean anything because she didn't require stitches.

Before she could formulate a response Ziva stepped past her and joined the conversation the guys were having. Abby stared after her for a moment then followed. When she reached the group, she slid in between Ziva and McGee and looped her arm through the other woman's. Ziva didn't respond. Nor did she pull away, so Abby considered it a small victory.

She didn't get a chance to talk to Ziva much over the course of the rest of the day. She had labs to finish running and Ziva had a ton of paperwork to do to close out the case as well as the added paperwork generated by the shootout she and Tony had become engaged in. She went up to the squad room a couple of times in an attempt to get a few minutes quiet conversation but either there were too many other people around or Ziva said she was too busy at the moment to talk.

On her third trip uptairs, and likely that last one she could manage without somebody asking questiones, she plopped herself on the corner of Ziva's desk and leaned in to ask, "are you coming over tonight?"

Ziva cast a glance over at Tony, who was leaning back at his desk, phone cradled between his shoulder and ear and then over at McGee who was working on something at his computer.

"It has been a long day. I think I will just go home, take a long, hot bath and go to bed early."

Abby refrained from making any kind of innapropriate innuendo at the mention of both bath and bed. "Do you mind if I come over?"

Ziva met Abby's eye briefly and for a moment Abby thought the other woman was going to say no but after a lenghty silence she let out a soft sigh and murmered, "if you wish."

It wasn't exactly a glowing invitation but it was good enough.

"I just have a few things to finish up downstairs. I'll meet you there?"

"That will be fine."

She got to Ziva's around seven that night and then hovered outside her apartment door for an indeterminate amount of time trying to work up the courage to knock.

She'd messed things up again. She'd hurt Ziva. It was the last thing she'd wanted to do but she'd managed to do it anyway. It seemed like she was always saying or doing the wrong thing. .

"I suck at relationships," she muttered to herself as she paced the hallway in front of Ziva's door.

It was just, the thought of Ziva being injured, of possibly losing her had been so incredibly overwhelming she hadn't been able to face it. Going to Tony first had given her a moment to collect herself. Otherwise she would have broken down and given away the relationship that they had been working to keep hidden for the past several weeks. She'd thought that was what Ziva wanted.

And then, of course, instead of actually saying what she was thinking, Ziva simply shut down. She withdrew into herself rather than letting Abby in.

Why was it so hard for them to communicate with each other?

"Ahh." She tugged at her pigtails and spun on her heel. Then stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Ziva leaning in her doorway staring at her in a mixture of curiosity, amusment and concern.

"Ziva, hey."

"You should come inside, Abby."

"Uh, right. Yeah."

Abby shuffled past Ziva into the other woman's apartment and stared around at the now familiar space feeling none of the usual comfort she felt when she had been here in the past.

How many hours had she spent here in this apartment? How many dinners had Ziva cooked for her? How many times had they laughed and talked about their lives over good wine and great food? How many nights had they curled up on the couch together over the past few months, watching movies and making out? She should feel at home here. Normally, she did, but tonight she felt like they were standing at opposite ends of a precipice.

"I'm sorry about this morning," she said, taking a tentative step towards Ziva. "I know that I hurt you, when I went to Tony first but I didn't mean to. I was so worried about you. And seeing you standing there with that bandage on your arm, knowing how close you were to getting shot. Knowing how close I came to loosing you..." she trailed off, her eyes finding Ziva's in the dim light of the apartment and begging the other woman to understand. "I couldn't bear it if something happened to you. And if I had gone to you first..."She took a breath, halting her rambling speech that wasn't even coming close to saying what it was she wanted to say.

"I just...I love you, Ziva. I can't lose you."

"I am not going anywhere," Ziva said, closing the distance between them and wrapping her arms loosely around Abby's waist.

"You can't promise me that."

Maybe it was because two people that she'd cared about had been taken away from her by bullet wounds but the thought of someone shooting at Ziva scared, no terrified her. And maybe it wasn't fair to Ziva to mix her into the feelings she had about Kate's and Jenny's deaths but she couldn't help it.

Ziva was silent, she really didn't have anything to say to that. She couldn't refute Abby's comment truthfully and say that there wasn't a chance that she could get injured or killed on the job.

Instead of answering, Ziva tightened her hold on Abby and pulling her close. Her breath was warm against Abby's neck as she burrowed into her. "Can you feel me, Abby? I am right here," Ziva murrmured against her skin.

It wasn't enough. Not nearly. But it would have to be, for now.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:**For all disclaimers, see Chapter 1

**Pairing:**Abby/Ziva

**Summary:**A look at the development of the relationship between Abby and Ziva. Femslash style.

**Timeline: **Starting in season 3 and spanning through to season 6. This one specifically takes place towards the beginning of season 6.

**Spoilers:**There are spoilers throughout. I will let you know when they do appear. There are none in this episode.

**Author's Note:**I'm sorry this chapter took so long. I got half way through it and then got stuck. It's extra long though, so I hope that makes up for it.

As always, thank you for your kind words of encouragement.

Abby truly believed that actions spoke louder than words. She knew that people said things they didn't mean. They threw around words like love and hate and always and forever without any regard for what they really meant. Most people never took into account the power that words had. The power to hurt, the power to heal. She knew this, so she chose to look at the things people did instead of the things they said. The gestures they made. The way they treated those around them. And she tried to do the same herself. She tried to make the things that she did, the gestures that she made equally as important as the things she said.

So she did the best she could to show Ziva that she loved her. In little ways, like keeping her cupboard stocked with Ziva's favourite tea and cooking her favourite dishes when she was over or suprising her by renting a movie she'd said she wanted to see or downloading songs she knew she loved into her ipod. And in bigger ways too, like giving Ziva a key to her apartment (not that she needed a key to get in) and telling her she was welcome there anytime or taking her out for a romantic dinner on their three month anniversary.

And she she was fairly certain Ziva loved her. Nintey-nine point nine percent certain.

In the three months they had been together, she had never said the words but it was the things that she did, rather than the things she said that led Abby to believe that Ziva loved her.

They spend almost every evening together. Even if a case kept one or both of them working late, they would eventually find their way to one or the other's apartment where they would eat a late dinner and spend some time together curled up on the couch. On the nights they were both out of work at a decent hour, they'd go out to dinner or a movie or a gallery or somewhere for a "proper" date, as Abby liked to think of them.

Days off were spent together as well. Sometimes they'd go out somewhere, to a show or a walk through the park or for lunch downtown. Other days they'd stay in, watching movies and talking and simply spending time together.

You didn't spend that much time with someone unless you had real strong feelings for them, Abby reasoned.

Then there was the little things that Ziva did, the cupcake was just the first of many things. Some of them were overtly romantic, roses or chocolates when she came to pick Abby up for a date. Others were more simple, sweet gestures like bringing Abby lunch (and sometimes dinner) down to the lab when she was knew that the other woman wouldn't be able to get away to eat. Or, stocking her cupboards with snacks she knew Abby liked, even though she didn't particularly like them herself.

And then there was the way she behaved. Like, being hurt when Abby had rushed to Tony that day in the squadroom (a mistake she would never make again) or growing suddenly very touchy when they were out and someone gave Abby the eye.

It wasn't entirely unexpected that Ziva would have a possesive streak but it had been a fun discovery. They'd gone out to dinner one night and were waiting at the bar, having a drink, until their table was ready. The man standing next to Abby had started casting glances over at her, a fact which Abby was content to simply ignore, but Ziva apparently was not. When she'd caught the guy's appreciate eye roaming over Abby she'd slid her arm around Abby's waist and pulled the other woman to her side. When she'd caught him still watching, she'd leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Abby's neck and whispered something in her ear, lips brushing against her skin with each word. Abby had known it was all just for show but she hadn't minded. She enjoyed the feel of Ziva's arm around her, the weight of her hand at her hip, the shiver that coursed down her spine at each breath and each brush of lips.

Adding everything up, it made a pretty clear picture. But there was still that point percent of her that wasn't quite sure.

It had been three months and they still hadn't slept together. Ziva had said when they did, she wanted it to mean something. And the fact that they hadn't yet made her wonder what that meant.

And nobody knew about them yet. Even after that incident in the squad room, Ziva had said she wasn't ready to let everyone know. Abby had just put that down to Ziva being a very private person, she didn't open up easily and she didn't share things about herself. Not even with the people closest to her. But now Abby was starting to wonder if there was more to it than that.

And of course there was the fact that when Abby had said 'I love you' Ziva hadn't said it back. At the time she had figured Ziva was more concerned about alleviating her fears of losing her than returning the sentiment but it had been a few weeks now, and Ziva had still not said it. Even though Abby had said it twice more now. And she didn't know what to do.

She didn't want to press Ziva on the issue, not at the risk of having her shut down or worse yet, end things. But, she wasn't sure how much longer she could go on not knowing how the other woman felt about her.

She tried not to stress about it too much, knowing that it was possible Ziva's feelings were not fully defined. It had taken the other woman getting shot at for Abby's own feelings to become clear. And to be honest, she hadn't meant to blurt out that she loved her but she'd been emotional and overwhelmed and the words has slipped from her lips without her consciously thinking them, although that didn't make them any less true. But she understood that Ziva might simply be having a hard time expressing herself.

It didn't make it any easier to deal with though. There was always that niggling doubt in the back of her mind, wondering if Ziva was regretting their relationship, if she'd changed her mind and wanted out or if she was no longer attracted to Abby.

And she didn't know how to talk to Ziva about it. She knew that she needed to but she just couldn't seem to find a good way to do it. The last time she'd pushed Ziva about going public the two of them had ended up fighting. She hadn't even attempted to approach their other issues.

"McGee, I need your advice on something."

Abby had been debating asking McGee for his opinion for the past half hour. She'd been going back and forth over whether or not to do it since Gibbs has sent McGee down to help her re-construct the hard drive of the suspect in the latest case they were working, She knew that if Ziva found out she'd gone behind her back and discussed their relationship she'd be pissed. She also knew that they couldn't go on much longer the way they were. Maybe Ziva was content going to restaurants and other places where nobody knew them bu"t Abby was happy, happier than she'd been in a long time and she wanted her friends to know. And maybe Ziva was fine with something casual but Abby wasn't sure she could do that.

"Sure, Abby. What is it?"

"Well, I've sort of been seeing someone," Abby hedged, hoping that she would be able to get through this conversation with hypotheticals.

"Sort of?"

"No, not sort of. I have been seeing someone."

"Sounds serious."

"Oh it is. Serious. As a heart attack. Except not because heart attacks are bad and..." she trailed off, realizing she'd gotten off topic. "I've been seeing someone" she re-stated. "And, I love her. Like, maybe in a forever sort of way."

McGee let out a soft whislte and then his brow furrowed in confusion and hurt. "How come you never told me you'd started dating someone?"

"That's part of the thing I need your advice on. See, we decided to keep it quiet at first, at least while things were new and we were getting used to being together. But, it's been a few months now and she still doesn't want to tell anyone. I get that she's cautious 'cause her family's super conservative and totally wouldn't approve but she won't even let me tell you guys."

McGee nodded.

"And I could probably be okay with it, if it were just that, but it's the other stuff too."

"What other stuff?"

Abby quickly explained how they'd decided to wait to sleep together, so that it meant something but that they still hadn't and how she'd said I love you but never heard it back.

"Tell me what to do, McGee. I don't want to lose her but I don't think I can stay with her if she doesn't want the same things."

"Sounds like you need to talk with her about it."

'I've tried. Either she shuts me down or we end up fighting."

McGee was quiet for a long moment then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Abby. I really don't know what to tell you. Hey, maybe Ziva can help."

Abby's breath caught in her throat and she had to grip the table to keep her balance.

"Maybe Ziva can help with what?"

Abby froze in place, the words she was going to say, which were, don't tell Ziva anything about this, died on her lips. She whirled around. "Ziva, hey." Her voice came out too bright and perky, even to her own ears.

"It's nothing. McGee and I were just talking but, it's nothing."

"Abby has been seeing somebody," McGee spoke over her.

"Oh, really?" Ziva arched an eyebrow at her, giving her a look that said, you're going to get it, later. And not in a naughty, sexy way either.

"Yeah. And apparently it's pretty serious."

"We should really get back to work," Abby said, gripping McGee's elbow and attempting to turn him around. "Gibbs is going to come down here any minute and you're going to get smacked upside the head if he sees you..." she trailed off as McGee shrugged her off and took a step closer to Ziva.

"Only, she's not sure it's going to work out."

"Wait. What? That's not what I said." But, the damage was done. The look of hurt that flashed across Ziva's features stopped Abby's heart for a moment.

"That's not what I said."

"Well, it was, kind of," McGee countered. "You said that you loved her but you weren't sure if she loved you back. And that you didn't know how you could be together if she wouldn't acknowledge her relationship or tell you how she felt."

Wow, when McGee said it that way, it sounded pretty bad. Like, breakup bad. And that wasn't what she'd been thinking at all.

"Yeah, but I didn't mean it like that," she protested, glancing back and forth between McGee, silently willing him to shut up and Ziva, who had, predictably, wiped all sign of emotion or expression from her features.

"Then how did you mean it?"

"Why don't you just let Ziva and I figure this out?" Abby suggested. "This really is more of a girl-talk kind of conversation anyway."

McGee glanced back and forth between the two women then nodded. "Works for me. I'm going to go upstairs and see how Tony's doing with that burn phone."

Abby watched his retreating form, turning only when the elevator doors slid shut behind him. She spun slowly on her heel and cautiously met Ziva's gaze. She expected Ziva to get defensive, to get angry. What she didn't expect was the look of utter devestation and the tears tracking down her cheeks.

"Ziva, I'm sorry. I-"

"No, Abby. It is I who am sorry. I am sorry that I ever led you to doubt my feelings for you."

"Ziva-"

"And I am sorry that I let my fears make you think that I was ashamed to acknowledge our relationship."

"What fears?" Abby stepped closer and took Ziva's hands in her own, squeezing them gently and then brushing a kiss over her knuckles.

"Of my father. He will not approve of our relationship. And I do not know how he'll react."

"Ziva, your father is thousands of miles and an ocean away."

"Yeah, but you forget, Abigail, that I am only here at my father's indulgence. He can recall me at any time."

It took a moment for Ziva's words to hit home. But once they did so much of Ziva's behaviour made sense. The threat of being forced back home by her father had been looming over Ziva all this time. She'd probably never felt truly free to do as she pleased, never able to get to completely comfortable or fully invested for fear that it would all be taken away from her at a moment's notice.

And telling the people that they worked with that they were together was the surest way for word to get back to her father.

"I won't let that happen," Abby promised.

"There is not anything that you could do, if my father made me go back to Israel."

"Gibbs got you back once, he could do it again."

"Would he want to, once he finds out that you and I are involved?"

"What? Of course he would."

Ziva remained silent.

"He loves you, you have to know that."

When Ziva said nothing, Abby ducked down, forcing eye contact. "Gibbs would do anything for you. Just as Tony would. Just as McGee would. Just as I would." She held Ziva's gaze until the other woman nodded.

She gently extraced her hands from Abby's grip and wrapped her arms around Abby's waist. Abby returned the embrace fiercely, hugging Ziva to her with every ounce of strength she had.

"I love you, Abby," Ziva whispered into her neck.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:**I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds rights to them.

**Pairing:** Abby/Ziva

**Summary:**A look at the development of their relationship throughout the seasons, femslash style.

**Timeline:**Starts in season 3 and spans through to season six.

**Spoilers:**Contains some spoilers throughout. I will give a warning at the beginning of each chapter that has spoilers.

**Rating:**R

livmissyThanks McGee was so much fun to write in that seen. And poor Abby.

xxIceEyesxx27 Thank you. How's this for a rush to update? I try not to leave you guys waiting to long for updates. The Abby/McGee seen was fun to write. And, I don't see either of these two getting into pointless fights, they just don't have the personalities for it, in my opinion.

elfspirit7 Thanks.

LittleSpooky lol. Thanks

Special Agent Stace Thank you. Kind words make my day.

ladygoddess8 Hmm, I don't know. :) Although, I have to admit, that wasn't the direction I was planning on taking this story.

CaptainK8 Welcome to the story. I'm glad that you're enjoying it and I hope it continues to please you.

**Chapter 16**

Abby knew that they were going to have to talk about this some more. But for the moment she was willing to accept that getting Ziva to open up to her was a victory and leave it at that. She was content with standing here like this, holding Ziva close.

Unfortunately, their moment was interrupted by the soft whoosh of the elevator doors sliding open. They had just enough time to pull apart and put a bit of distance between them before Gibbs, Tony and McGee rounded the corner into her lab.

"What have we got, Abs?"

"Not a whole lot Gibbs, the hard drive was a mess. But, there were a few things that we did manage to recover." She slipped into work mode as she turned away from Ziva and with a flurry of keystrokes pulled up the files she had managed to re-construct onto the plasma screen.

The others moved to gather around her, Ziva slipping up beside her, so close that their shoulders touched and their hands brushed when Abby's hands fell back down to her sides.

If any of the guys noticed how close the two of them were standing, none of them commented. And, Abby didn't think it was likely that any of them would. Nor would they think anything of it if they did.

Not with the way she could feel Gibb's breath on the back of her neck as he leaned in to get a closer look and Tony's shoulder pressed up against hers. No, they'd gotten pretty lucky in that respect. Nobody would question the sometimes questionable lack of physical boundries between the two women because there weren't too many boundries to begin with, amongst this team.

Ziva tangled their fingers together out of sight beneath the counter and Abby squeezed back gently. She chanced a glance sideways and caught Ziva looking back at her.

"We can tell them, if you like," Ziva murmured.

Abby knew how much it took for her to say that. And she was greatful to her for it. But, she knew that despite her words, Ziva wasn't ready. And she understood why.

As much as she wanted to be able to share her relationship with the others she had to respect Ziva's reasons as to why not. And now that she finally knew what those reasons were, it was a little easier to accept them. Ziva didn't talk about her father often but when she did, she painted a picture of a very powerful,controlling man.

Abby completely understood Ziva's reluctance to cross him and the fact that she had been willing to even enter into this relationship in the first place was enough for Abby to grant her the time and space to deal with things in her own way.

When she thought about the alternative, that Ziva could have simply let this be all about sex so many months ago, that this could have just been another fling for the younger woman, she realized just how far the two of them had really come. It should have been obvious to her how much Ziva cared for her just from the simple fact that Ziva was with her at all.

"No. Not yet," she whispered back.

Ziva's look was startled, then she nodded and offered a faint smile. "Thank you."

Their entire exchange was lost on the others, who were debating the case. Reluctantly, Abby turned her focus back to work. Untangling her fingers from Ziva's she brought her hands back up to the keyboard to show the others what else she had.

By the time Abby and McGee finished with the computer, pieceing together all the files and getting the others something to work with, it was late. The team set out for Winston, West Virginia to make their arrest and Abby headed home, for a late dinner and movies on cable. She figured she'd make something quick and easy that would refrigerate well so that when Ziva came over, which she eventually would, she would have something to eat that she didn't have to prepare herself.

She decided on a simple spaghetti dinner, which she ate on the couch while watching the original Beetlejuice movie. After finishing her dinner she stretched out on the couch, got comfortable and let herself get lost in one of her favourite films.

At some point she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, the tv and the apartment were dark and a warm body was sliding onto the couch next to her. An arm wrapped around her waist and she felt the tickle of hair against her cheek as Ziva rested her head next to hers on the pillow.

"There's pasta in the fridge, if you're hungry," she murmured, sliding an arm around Ziva's back and pulling her closer.

"I had some already."

She wasn't exactly surprised that Ziva had managed to come in and get a bite to eat without Abby hearing her. She was a pretty sound sleeper. And Ziva could move silently if she wanted to.

"How'd it go?" Abby opened her eyes. The streetlight outside her window provided the only light and all Abby could see was Ziva's profile as she lay facing her on the couch and the faint glint of her eyes in the darkness.

"He confessed as soon as we stepped through the door. I guess the sight of four armed federal agents was enough to convince him that he could not hide the truth anymore."

"Team Gibbs, one. Scumbag, zero."

Ziva's response was a faint murmer in the back of her throat as she tilted her head to press a kiss against Abby's lips.

She had probably meant it to be a soft, gentle kiss given the late hour and the fact they had both had a long day. But as soon as Ziva's lips grazed hers, Abby felt that familiar surge of wanting and warmth course through her and she couldn't help herself from parting her lips and deepening the kiss. She kept it slow, almost lazy, expecting at any moment for Ziva to break it off, cuddle in and drift off into sleep and was almost surprised when she felt Ziva's tongue slide forward and stroke along hers. Abby let out a soft moan and pulled Ziva even closer as the other woman's tongue swirled around the inside of her mouth.

She was breathless, panting, when Ziva ended the kiss but suddenly, breathing didn't seem nearly as important as continuing the feeling of Ziva's lips on hers. She extended her neck, following Ziva as she pulled back and captured the other woman's lips. She nibbled the bottom one for a moment then slid her tongue out, asking for and being granted access. Ziva's hand slid up to cup the back of her neck, holding her head in place with a gentle, but authoritative grip. Her own hands started to wonder, one sliding down to rest on the curve of Ziva's waist, the other coming up between them, sliding beneath the fabric of Ziva's shirt to stroke the soft, smooth skin of her stomach. Ziva's leg came up to drape across her hip, locking their bodies in place alongside each other.

This time it was Abby who ended the kiss, but only long enough to take a few ragged breaths before bringing their lips together once again.

Ziva's grip slid from the back of her neck to stroke her cheek and then her hand travelled down, along the side of her neck and down the slope of her shoulder to cup her breast. Abby arched into the touch, groaning as Ziva's thumb grazed against her nipple through the rough fabric of her shirt. She let her hand, the one beneath Ziva's shirt, slide upwards and ran her palm across Ziva's breast. She felt, more than heard the little gasp Ziva made and plunged her tongue even deeper into the other woman's mouth. It was her turn to gasp, however, as Ziva sucked Abby's tongue and then released it with a soft pop.

A deep, gulping breath and then she was dipping her head to find Ziva's lips again as she shifted, pushing Ziva onto her back and settling her weight over her. The leg that had been over her hip now settled across the small of her back, the weight of it pressing her hips down, pressing their centers together in a delicious, torturous friction.

She expected Ziva to move, to shift and relieve the pressure. But, she did not. She continued to knead Abby's breast through the fabric of her shirt with one hand while the other stroked up and down along the contours of her spine.

The was usually around the point when Ziva would pull away or lessen the intensity of their kisses and touches until it petered off into simply lying together and holding each other.

"Ziva." It was a gasp, a plea. They had to stop this. Now. Before Abby couldn't control herself anymore. Before it was too late to stop.

Ziva didn't respond. She began trailing kisses along Abby's jaw. She scraped her tongue along the side of Abby's neck and then blew a gentle breath across the abraded skin, followed by a soft, soothing brush of lips.

Her protests died on her lips and shivers coursed through her as Ziva repeated the process down the side of her neck.

Abby slid her hand beneath the fabric of Ziva's bra and pinched her nipple with her fingers, enjoying the sound Ziva made in the back of her throat and the way she arched her back and shifted her hips at the contact. The slow burn in her abdomen that had started with the first kiss ignited into a raging fire as Ziva's center pressed into hers. She bore down, seeking more contact, more pressure and was rewarded with by another thrust of Ziva's hips. She forced herself to keep it slow, a continuous rolling motion as she played with Ziva's nipple and Ziva's lips travelled along the base of her throat, teeth nipping and lips sucking at the pulse point.

She felt Ziva's hands tugging at the hem of her shirt, felt it slide up over her back and sat up to pull the garment over her head and toss it onto the floor. The air of the apartment was cold, but it felt nice against her heated skin.

She felt Ziva's eyes on her as she knelt above her, and met her gaze.

"Are you sure?"

Ziva nodded. "I have never been more sure of anything."

Abby felt a warmth flow through her that had nothing to do with lust or desire and everything to do with intimacy and trust.

"Well, in that case," she said starting on the buttons of Ziva's shirt. "I think you are wearing entirely too much clothing."

Ziva chuckled, low and throaty as Abby's long fingers swiftly and deflty worked the buttons of her blouse. When she finished with the last one she pushed the fabric aside, revealing Ziva's toned abdomen and two small round breasts encased in silky black fabric.

"Hmm, still too much," she said, sliding her fingers along hem of Ziva's bra then, dispensing with the clasp at the back, simply pushed the garmet up, pulling it up over Ziva's head much the same way she had done with her own t-shirt. "Mmm, much better," she commented, giving Ziva's naked torso a perusing glance.

Still straddling Ziva's hips, she slid her hands across Ziva's stomach, feeling the taunt muscles quiver beneath her touch. She stroked the contours of her ribs with her thumbs and then slid her hands up, kneading Ziva's breasts. She flicked her nipples, then ran her thumbs across them, enjoying Ziva's gasps and the way her hips bucked.

"You look good," she murmured. "I wonder how you taste?"

"Abby." It was a curse and a plea as Abby leaned over, letting her breath wash across Ziva's left breast before closing her mouth over it and swirling her tongue across it.

Ziva's hands fisted against her back as she arched up, a low moan letting loose from her throat.

"Mmm, delicious," she murmured against the skin, feeling the shudder that passed through the body beneath hers.

She felt Ziva's hands starting to move along her back, fingers scrambling for purchase as she nipped and sucked at her breast. Felt her fingers tugging at the waistband of her pants, felt the material slid down her hips but she was so wrapped up in running her lips and tongue across Ziva's skin she didn't really register the movements until Ziva's finger ghosted lightly along her center. She let out a hiss and bit down on the skin beneath her teeth. Ziva let out a hoarse cry and her hips bucked as her finger plunged deep inside.

Abby wasn't sure if it was an intentional motion or the scrape of teeth against her skin had surprised her but it really didn't matter, Ziva was inside her and she rocked her hips against the hand pressing into her.

Ziva pulled her finger out, almost to the very tip and then plunged it back in again. Slowly at first and then increasing in both speed and force. In and out, first one finger than two and finally three, in an ever changing rythmn that was driving Abby crazy. She went deep and then was barely there, she wiggled and scissored her fingers and then was ramrod straight.

Abby's entire body was taunt with anticipation...need. She pleaded, for what she wasn't quite sure. For more. For release. Neither. Both. Ziva's name became her mantra, a choked, breathy sigh against the side of the other woman's neck until Ziva turned her head, captured her lips in a kiss, the actions of her tongue mirroring those of her fingers and Abby came undone.

For a long while she lay limply against Ziva, her body nothing more than a quivering mass. Her skin slick with sweat, her limbs unable to move. Ziva stroked her back with one hand, fingers gently massaging, the other still inside her, also gently stroking as she rode out the aftershocks.

"Hmm, you are amazing," she murmured into Ziva's shoulder.

As her senes came back to her, she felt the pressure building once again from Ziva's gentle ministrations. She shook her head, muttering that she couldn't take anymore just yet, but Ziva was relentless and moments later she found herself on the urge of another orgasm.

Her eyes rolled back in her head and she felt a faint buzzing in her ears as a wave of pleasure rolled over her. She bit down on Ziva's shoulder as her body tightened, her muscles growing taunt. The wave broke and she sagged against Ziva once again.

She lost track of time as she lay there, almost dozing, as her body gathered it's strength back. Once it had she reached down and grasped Ziva's wrist, gently removing her fingers from inside herself. She tangled their fingers together then reached for her other hand, clasping that one as well as she positioned their hands against the pillow above their heads as she knelt over Ziva and began kissing her way down her body.

She started with her neck, tracing her tongue down it, scraping her tongue along her collarbone and then following the line of her throat to suck at the pulse point there, feeling it jump at her touch. She swirled her tongue alone the hollow at the base there and nipped at the skin, making Ziva squirm and hiss.

Then she continued down, along the top of her chest, across the curve of her breast. Her lips lingered against Ziva's skin as she explored every inch of her abdomen, following the contures of her ribs and the taunt ridges of her abs.

When she got to the waistband of Ziva's pants she released her grip on one hand, but kept the fingers of the other intertwined. She deftly popped the button and slid the zipper down with her free hand and slid her fingers beneath the fabric, lightly brushing against Ziva's curls as the other woman braced her feet against the couch and arched upwards. After a couple more minutes of teasing her removed her hand and hooked her finger into the waistband of both Ziva's pants and underwear and pulled them down in one swift tug. They tangled around her ankles, but they were out of Abby's way so she let them be.

"You're ready for me," Abby commented as she caught the scent of Ziva's need. "Nice and wet," she added as she slid a finger through the gathered moisture. Ziva moaned then let out a wordless plea as Abby stuck the finger into her mouth. She raised her head to meet Ziva's gaze as she licked it clean and pulled it out of her mouth with a pop.

"Please, Abby." Her words were low and hoarse.

But, Abby took her time. She wanted to savour this. She dipped her head and nipped lightly, smiling as Ziva let out a stragnled cry and bucked her hips. She blew gently onto the moist curls and then kissed her softly. Ziva's hand, the one that wasn't clutching Abby's with a grip hard enough to break bones, came down to rest on the top of Abby's head, her fingers tangling in Abby's hair, urging her for more, faster, harder.

Normally, Abby didn't like that. It spoke of a possession and a dominance that she wasn't really comfortable with but with Ziva she found that she didn't mind. In fact, she liked it. Even if she wasn't ready to give in just yet. Even as Ziva begged and pleaded and writhed against her, Abby took her time. She scraped her tongue across Ziva's clit, plunged it deep inside and kissed her deeply while Ziva's cries grew louder and became non-sensical. Until, finally, Abby pushed her over the edge.


	17. Chapter 17

****

For all disclaimers, see Chapter One.

Author's Note:

Sorry this was such a long time coming. Writer's block struck hard. But I'm over it now and am already at work at the next chapter.livmissy

, lol. Definitely not a chapter to read at work. Thanks for reading, and for replying.

xxIceEyesxx27

By lemon I assume you're referring to the love scene?

bitten2

I'll take that as a compliment, so thanks.

ladygoddess8

Yeah, they finally took that step. It took awhile but they got there. I hadn't given much thought to who the "man" was. I guess Ziva would be the more likely choice. Thanks for your comments.

LittleSpooky

I think Gibbs would do pretty much anything for Ziva (and Abby) Like you said, he wouldn't be Gibbs otherwise. I know what you mean, I don't like typing his name either. Thanks for reading, and replying.

ttandme69

Thanks for reading. Hopefully the next few updates will come much more quickly.

Moon FireStar

I'm so thrilled that I made this a believable couple for you. You have no idea how honored I am to know that. Thanks for sticking with it, even if this wasn't your regular ship. I hope you contiue to enjoy.

"I have been thinking a lot about the conversation we had last week."

Abby opened her eyes and peered over at Ziva, taking a moment to process the words and make sense of them. It was still early, not even nine o'clock on a Saturday and she hadn't been awake very long. Her brain was still a little sleep-fogged. Not to mention a little hazy from being woken up by a scattering of kisses across her neck and chest, which had lead to some slow lovemaking, which she was still coming down from.

She had never been a morning person but if Ziva was going to wake her up like that she might considering converting.

After replaying the sentence over a couple times in her head Abby realized it wasn't her, what Ziva had said simply didn't make any sense.

"You're going to have to be a little more specific, Zee," she said, rolling onto her side to face her lover. She propped her head up on one elbow and gazed down into Ziva's eyes, almost getting lost in them for a moment before remembering that they were discussing something here. "We had more than one conversation last week."

"The one about my father."

Abby nodded, remembering. She should have known. It was the only conversation of consequence they'd had last week. "What about it?"

"I think it is time for me to tell him about us."

Abby had not been expecting that. "Ziva.." she started, then trailed off as she realized that she didn't really know what to say. She'd known that there would come a point, eventually, when Ziva would want to tell their father about them. And, she'd hoped it would be sooner than later but she hadn't really expected that it would be.

From the conversation they'd had and from several other comments Ziva had made over the course of their friendship, Abby had the sense that Ziva was almost afraid of her father. Well, as afraid as a highly trained Mossad assasin could be of anyone or anything.

If nothing else, she feared the far reaches of his influence. And how easy it would be for him to keep them apart. As Ziva had reminded Abby recently, she was just a guest of this country. All it would take was one phone call and Eli David could have his daughter heading back to Israel.

She couldn't help but think that Ziva was saying this for her benefit. To make her happy because she knew Abby wanted to go public with their relationship.

"I'm fine with things the way they are." And she was. Yes, it would be nice to be out in front of their friends but she was okay with how things had to be, considering the alternatives. "It's-"

"Abby, please hear me out."

She fell silent and waited.

"I can not live the rest of my life under my father's thumb."

"Well, yeah but-"

'It is not fair to me. And it is certainly not fair to you," Ziva continued as if Abby had not spoken. "I love you. And, I do not want to have to hide that."

"I agree. But-"

"I thought you were going to listen?"

Abby gave a sheepish smile and mimed zipping her lips shut.

"Thank you. Now, as I said, I have been thinking about the conversation we had last week. And, I believe the main issue was that my father could call me back to Israel if he found out about us, yes?"

Abby nodded.

"Well, I have been looking into it and there are other ways that I could stay in the country if not at my father's command."

"How?"

"I could leave Mossad. Make my position at NCIS permanent. If Gibbs would have me."

"Of course he would. You know he values you as part of the team. And if nothing else, he'd agree to it because he knows it would piss off your father."

Ziva let out a soft chuckle. "That is true."

And then Ziva's words caught up with Abby. "Wait, can't give up being a Mossad agent. It's...it's like giving up who you are."

"My time with the Mossad will always be a part of me. But, I am not that person anymore."

Abby was speechless. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. And she wasn't sure she could let Ziva do something like that for her.

"I am not just doing this for you, Abby," Ziva said, as if she had read Abby's mind. "I am doing this for myself as well. Do you think I enjoy having to pretend that you are nothing more than a friend? That I do not want to tell our friends that we are together?"

"No. Of course not. It's just..well this is huge. This is life changing, monumentally huge. I just..I want to be sure that you're ready for it. Like, that you're not going to regret doing it a couple years from now."

Or, that she wasn't going to start to resent Abby, for making her choose, for making her give up so much. Not that Abby would ever say that out loud. But she couldn't help thinking it. Their relationship was about to come between Ziva and her father. Despite the difficulties and problems they'd had, they were still family. She knew that Ziva still loved him. What happened if in a couple of years she started to miss him, started to wonder if it was worth losing him?

"This has been a long time coming," Ziva said. "I have known for a long time that eventually, my father and I would break ties. There has just been nothing in my life worth the effort. Until now. You are worth every effort."

"Aww, you're going to make me blush," Abby quipped, feeling the need to lighten the mood a little. Things had gotten decidely too intense for so early on a Saturday morning.

A smirk played across Ziva's lips as she brought a hand up and traced a finger across Abby's cheek and down her neck, where in fact, a blush was spreading. "I can see that," she commented, then hooked her finger in the sheet that was draped around Abby's shoulders and said "I wonder how far that blush spreads."


	18. Chapter 18

**For all disclaimers see Chapter 1.**

bitten2 Thanks for reading. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

ladygoddess8 Thanks for reading and replying. It might cause some problems, but I think Ziva made the right decision.

livmissy Thanks for reading. And for commenting. I think that deep down, Ziva is a bit of a softy. She just hides it well.

elfspirit7 Thanks. I'll try to keep the updates coming swiftly.

LittleSpooky lol. That far huh? I think it will be interesting to see how her dad reacts too. (I honestly haven't figured that out yet)

Moon FireStar I'm glad you decided to give this story a chance, and that it's held your interest long enough to bring you into the ship. And I hope this chapter eases some of your dread.

**Chapter 18 **

Abby wasn't one hundred percent sure she agreed with Ziva's decision but she realized that it wasn't really up to her. Ultimitely, it was Ziva's choice how she wanted to deal with her father. So, Abby played the supportive girlfriend. She told Ziva that she was behind her, no matter what she chose. Then she drove her to the airport and waited with her and hugged and kissed her goodbye when it was time for her to board her plane. It was the right thing to do. The only thing to do.

Even if Abby was half terrified that it would be the last time she would ever see Ziva. She couldn't escape the notion that watching Ziva step through the ticket gate would be the last glimpse of her that Abby would ever have.

Eli David was a very powerful man. Someone who was by all accounts, methodical and cold. And who had the resources to make his enemies dissapear. Abby couldn't help but wonder if that method of dealing with things would extend to his daughter as well, when she sprung what would likely be unpleasant news on him. He could lock her up somewhere, never to be heard from again. That is if he didn't simply have her killed.

As much as she tried to convince herself that she was just over-reacting, that she was letting her imagination get the better of her, she couldn't. Hadn't Ziva herself said that she'd been afraid her father would kill her if he found out that she'd been with women? Her fears were not unfounded.

She had made Ziva promise to call her as soon as her plane had landed, as well as several times a day for the duration of her trip. Part of that was just wanting to stay connected, wanting to hear her voice and keep up with how she was doing. But also Abby recognized that it would be a good investigative tool. It would give Gibbs and the team a starting point if they had to go looking for her.

To say that she was useless at work would have been an understatement. The first night Ziva was gone, she barely slept at all. She spent half the night tossing and turning restlessly in bed, acutely aware of the fact that where Ziva had slept the night before there was now empty space. It was startling to her how quickly she had become accomstomed to curling up next to Ziva, of falling asleep in the other woman's arms. She spent the rest of the night on the couch, flipping through old movies and infomercials, barely noticing anything beyond the flickering of colors and movements on screen. And the next morning she turned up at work early, exhausted and unfocused.

She was used to going without sleep, she had gone for days at a time with only a few hours rest and a couple of Caf-Pows ha

d kept her going. But this was different. This wasn't just phyisical, she was emotionally drained.

"Abby. Abs!"

She jerked, startled, the motion nearly sending her toppling off her chair. A firm hand gripping her elbow kept her steady. She glanced over her shoulder at Gibbs, catching the stern expression on his face and realized that she must have zoned out Again. Her thoughts just kept turning in her head, like a hamster in it's wheel, only not nearly as cute. She tried to tune them out, but every so often they took hold of her and a dozen morbid scenerio's would play out in her head.

"What is with you today?"

She shrugged.

"Abs? What's bugging you?"

"You know how I get when the team's out there." She feigned nonchalance, hoping that it would be enough to fool Gibbs.

"McGee and Tony have been back for an hour. You know this."

Abby's brow furrowed as she thought back. McGee and Tony had gone out pick up a suspect around ten. They'd left just after she'd finished processing some fingerprints that put their suspect at the scene...and they'd made an arrest shortly after. Tony had come down to see if Abby wanted to go for lunch and she'd declined.

"Oh, yeah. I guess I forgot." She chanced a look over and saw that Gibbs was still staring at her, only his expression had gone from stern to concerned.

"That's not like you," he said softly, gently spinning her chair around so she was facing him. She folded her hands into her lap and looked down at them, knowing that if she met his eye, and he continued staring at her like that, she'd blurt out everything that was wrong.

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night," she admitted.

"You never get a lot of sleep at night," he countered.

"And I haven't had enough Caf-Pow yet to get me going."

"You've had 3 in the last two hours."

"Maybe I'm coming down with something."

"You don't get sick, Abs."

Out of ideas, of excuses, she tried to push to her feet but his grip on her shoulders kept her in place.

"What's wrong, Abby?"

She continued to stare at her hands. He released his grip of one shoulder and put his hand under her chin, tipping it up until they were eye to eye.

She thought about refusing to tell him. But, this was Gibbs. She couldn't keep this from him. And, truthfully, she didn't want to.

"I'm worried about Ziva."

A look of surprise crossed his features. "She's visiting her father."

Abby nodded. "Yeah."

"That's not something to be worried about."

"It is if she's going to tell him something that he's not going to be happy to hear."

He gave her a searching look. "What is it that you're not telling me?"

"Ziva and I have been seeing each other. For months now," Abby said, her words coming out in a rush. "And she decided that it was time to tell her father. Only, it's not something that he's going to want to hear. And I'm afraid of what he's going to do when she tells him."

Gibbs stared at her for a lont moment, his expression impassive as he obviously tried to process everything that Abby had just said.

"You and Ziva?" he asked, sounding...not quite confused..bewildered, maybe.

She nodded confirmation.

"For months?"

"Please don't be mad. I wanted to tell you. But at first, when things were new, we just wanted to keep it to ourselves and..."she trailed off as Gibbs put a finger to her lips.

"I'm not mad."

"Gibbs, I'm really sorry."

"I'm not mad."

"What about rule twelve?"

"What about it?"

She stuttered, trying to come up with a response.

"If you're happy, I'm happy for you," he said softly.

She nodded, relieved and pleased. Then, gave him a sharp look as something occured to her. "You're not going to give her a hard time about this when she gets back are you?"

He gave her a look. A how-dare-you-even-suggest-that look, but there was a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Gibbs, please, don't. Ziva was really freaked out about the thought of you knowing."

He drew back, looking unsettled. "She was?"

Abby nodded. "She's worried you'll be mad at her. And kick her off the team or something."

It was an understandable fear, considering Ziva's upbringing and her father's influence but an unnecessary one. It was going to take some time for Ziva to realize that Gibbs' love didn't come with strings and conditions the way her father's did.

And the last thing Abby needed was Gibbs setting back that realization by playing a hard line with Ziva about her affections for Abby.

Usually Abby liked it when Gibbs went all over-protective and fatherly with the people she was dating. She thought it was funny the way they got all intimidated and twitchy around him. But, Ziva was different. This was way more serious than any other relationship she'd been in. And, considering Ziva's insecurities, it seemed a little insensitive.

Gibbs looked hurt at even the suggestion. "I would never-"

"I know that. And you know that. But Ziva's not so convinced. So promise me, please, that you're not going to say anything to her when she gets back."

Gibbs nodded.

"Say it."

"I promise."

"Thank you, Gibbs." Abby sprang to her feet and threw her arms around his neck for a tight hug. He stumbled back a step and his hands came up to grip her waist gently.

"She's really important to you, isn't she?"

Abby nodded into his shoulder. "I love her."

He held her for a moment then gently eased her backwards. "And, you're really worried that her father's going to do something to her when she tells him?"

Abby nodded. "Yeah."

She didn't have to tell him how powerful Eli David was. Or what length's he'd go to.

"Start a trace on her cell. I want to know where she is, who she's talked to. Keep me posted. I'm going to call a contact of mine in Tel Aviv and see if I can get a read on the mood out there."

"On it, Gibbs." Abby stepped away from him and settled in front of her computer, pulling up the programs she'd need. She was so focused she almost jumped, startled, when he leaned down next to her.

"I'm sure she's fine, Abs. She knows how to take care of herself."

Abby really hoped that was true.


	19. Chapter 19

**For all disclaimers see Chater 1**

**Author's Note:** I signed up for NaNo Write this year. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, NaNo Write stands for National Novel Writing Month. It is an insane endeavor in which writers attempt to write a 50 000 word novel in a month. It's going to take up a lot of my time over the next 30 days, so updates will not be as frequent as they have been but I will try not to make you guys wait too long between chapters.

dcKayCee I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. And, I try get chapters finished and updated quickly so there isn't too long a wait between them. Thanks for reading.

ladygoddess8 I like Gibbs as a father figure to both women. It's something that appeals to me and I can't help but write. Rest assured, I never kill of characters, at least not the main couple in a love story anyway. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Moon FireStar Yeah, poor Abby. But, don't worry, I"m almost done torturing her. Hopefully this chapter will ease the rest of your dread. Thanks for your comments. :)

livmissy Gibbs definitely has a soft spot for Abs.

ttandme69 Thanks for reading. And commenting. Your comments make my day.

**Chapter 19**

Abby couldn't stand the thought of another night like the one she'd just had. There was no way she could handle going home to an empty apartment and sleeping on sheets that still smelled like Ziva. She opted instead to stay in her lab. There was always work to be done, evidence to be processed, tests to be run, results to be logged. All sorts of things to keep her mind busy so she wouldn't spend all night worrying about Ziva. And, if she got tired there were blankets and pillows in a cabinet in her office.

It wouldn't be the first time she'd spent the night at work. In fact, it was an often enough occurance that the security staff didn't bother checking it out when they saw lights on in her lab late at night and the cleaning crew bypassed her door when they heard music coming from behind it.

Abby was very rarely interrupted when she was down here by herself. So, when her phone rang sometime around 3 a.m she almost didn't recognize what the sound was, it was so out of place in her nightime routine. But, years of working with Gibbs had ingrained her with certain habits, one of them being to pick up a phone when it rang. So, even before her brain had fully processed what was going on, she'd reached out and scooped the receiver up.

"Forensics lab, Abby speaking."

"So formal, Abby?"

"Ziva."

The test she'd been running was forgotten as she sank down into her chair and cradled the phone to her ear as if she could hold the woman on the other end closer in doing so.

It was such a relief just to hear her voice. They had spoken early that morning when Ziva's plane had landed but their conversation had been brief. Abby had not been fully awake yet and Ziva had been tired from the long flight and feeling a bit jet-lagged. The call had been just long enough for Ziva to let Abby know that she'd made it to Tel-Aviv and would be making arrangements to see her father.

"How are you? Have you talked with your father yet?" A dozen questions vyed for space on Abby's lips. She had to fight the urge to start demanding details.

"I just came from his office."

Ziva's voice gave away nothing. Abby waited on pins and needles for her to continue, to explain.

"He made it clear that I am a dissapointment to him. And he blames the 'Western influences of my latest assignment.'"

"Oh, Ziva, I'm so sorry."

They'd both known this was coming. But even though Ziva was prepared for it, there was nothing that could take away the pain of actually hearing the words, seeing the dissapointment in her father's face. Abby really wished that she were in Tel Aviv with Ziva so that she could wrap her arms around her and hold her close, rather than thousands of miles away murmuring words of comfort through the telephone.

"It is okay, Abby. I am fine." Ziva's voice was steady, calm. And, if Abby didn't know better, she would have believed the other woman was in fact fine. But,she'd known Ziva long enough now to recognize when she'd withdrawn from her emotions and put up a front.

She wasn't going to push it right now though. Not while Ziva was so far away, and alone. In fact, she hoped that Ziva managed to hold onto her facade until she was home and in Abby's arms.

"And what about the rest of it?" she asked cautiously. "Is he going to try and force you to stay?" Even as she asked this, her hand was reaching into her pocket for her cell phone, ready to speed dial Gibbs if Ziva gave the slightest indication that her father was going to try and excert his control.

Ziva let out a short, bitter laugh. "He would much rather I stay in America so that he does not have to deal with me."

Despite the words and how horrible it must have been for Ziva to hear them, Abby allowed herself a moment of relief. There was now one less thing for her to worry about.

Although that still didn't eliminate the possibility that he would do something a little less official to keep his daughter from coming back. She hesitated, trying to think of a good way to ask Ziva if she thought her father might be planning something more underhanded. It wasn't something they had discussed and Abby wasn't sure how to bring it up.

"I'm sorry that it worked out like this," was what she said instead.

"Thank you," Ziva said softly. "I knew that my father would not approve, but a part of me was still hoping that he would surprise me." She let out a soft sigh. "I am just glad that it is over and done with." Her voice was stronger when she said this.

There was a finality to it that Abby wasn't quite sure about. She knew that Ziva was trained to compartmentalize and to work through her emotions quickly but there was no way she could get over the sting of being shunned by her father that quickly. She decided to let it slide for now. They could talk more when Ziva got back.

"When are you coming home?"

"There is a flight out this evening. I am going to have dinner with some friends and then head to the airport."

"I can hardly wait."

"Me neither. And Abby?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

The knot of tension in the pit of her stomach loosened as she hung up the phone but it did not dissapear completely. It wouldn't until Ziva was home and Abby could hold her in her arms and assure herself that she was okay.

She was able to get some sleep that night, only a few hours but it was a few hours more than she'd had the night before. And her concentration was marginally better at work the next day.

Abby glanced up as the doors to her lab whooshed open, expecting Gibbs or maybe McGee and pulled up short when Ducky strode through. She took one look at his sombre expression and knew that something was wrong.

"Jethro called me from out in the field."

Abby barely heard what he said as she sank down into the chair behind her.

"Ziva was attacked at the airport. An attempted mugging. She is fine but one of the assailents is dead and the other is critically injured."

Abby felt a sob build in her throat but she managed to hold it back. "Ziva's okay?" The words came out low and hoarse, she barely recognized the voice as her own.

Ducky nodded. "She's fine," he said with a nod of his head and a faint smile. "I almost feel sorry for her muggers, they had no idea who it was they were trying to rob. I bet they weren't expecting her to fight back. Or to beat them."

Except, Abby knew without a shadow of a doubt that her "muggers" had known exactly who Ziva was. Although, they probably hadn't expected that Ziva would be the one to walk away.

"Anyway, Jethro wanted me to let you know what was going on. He and Timothy are processing the scene and Tony drove Ziva home. I'm heading over there to retrieve the body."

"Thanks, Ducky," she managed a weak smile as patted her shoulder then turned to leave.

For a long moment, Abby simply sat there, too dazed to move. She'd been waiting for something like this to happen but now that it actually had, she just couldn't believe it. She simply could not wrap her head around the fact that Eli David had hired me to have his own daughter attacked.

Slowly, the fog she was in lifted and Abby realized that she was facing a decision. Evidence from the crime scene would be coming in soon, she had a job to do. But all she wanted to do was go be at Ziva's side.

After a moment she realized that it really wasn't much of a decision. She had put the job before Ziva before and it almost cost her their relationship. She wasn't going to make the same mistake again. No, she decided, standing and heading for her office to grab her things. The fingerprints and DNA could wait. Right now she needed to be with Ziva.


	20. Chapter 20

**For all disclaimers see Chapter 1.**

**Author's Note:** Just to let you know, I will be bringing this story to an end in the next chapter or so. I've come to the point where I feel that I have done all with these characters that I can.

As always, thanks for reading and commenting. I thank you for sticking with this story and your continued encouragment.

**Chapter 20**

When she got to Ziva's apartment she knocked once and then let herself in. If Tony was suprised that she had a key, he didn't say anything.

"Hey, Abs." His greeting was friendly, but distant. He barely even looked up, his focus on Ziva never wavering. That in itself should have been a warning. But, Abby didn't really register Tony's behaviour, she was more concerned with Ziva.

The low murmer of their conversation continued as Abby took her time taking off her boots and hanging up her coat, even though what she really wanted to do was race across the room and draw Ziva into her arms.

"Ducky told me what happened," she said, crossing into the living room. "I came as soon as I..." she trailed off and gasped loudly as she caught site of Ziva. Apparently, some people's defintion of "fine" differed from hers. Because to Abby, "fine" meant fine, uninjured and all in one piece. Whereas the entire left side of Ziva's face was bruised, her lip was swollen and her right arm was wrapped in an ace bandage. The worst part, however, had to be the shell-shocked expression on her face.

"Oh, my God. Ziva." Without even being aware of moving, Abby was on her knees in front of the seated woman and wrapping her arms around her. Ziva melted into her without hesitation or protest.

"My father did this," Ziva whispered, her voice so low that Abby could barely hear, even though Ziva's mouth was right next to her ear.

"You don't know that," Abby countered, though with very little conviction.

"I do. Those men were not muggers, Abby. They were trained fighters. They were Mossad."

Abby wanted desperately to be able to make it not true. To be able to look Ziva in the eye and assure her that her father had nothing to do with this. That he loved her and would eventually come around and that this was all just an unfortunate coincidence. But she could not. Unable to do any of that she simply squeezed tighter and pressed a gentle kiss against Ziva's temple.

'I'm so sorry, Ziva. I love you."

Ziva's arms tightened their grip around her.

It broke Abby's heart to see Ziva this way.

Throughout their entire exchange, Tony had remained quiet. He'd made no comments, no jokes. And now, he rose silently from the couch and strode into the other room. A moment later Abby heard water running and the faint creak of a cupboard door openeing. He was obviously off balance seeing Ziva so shaken like this. Even if he didn't understand the full extent of the situation.

Gently, Abby slipped from Ziva's arms and sat back on her heels facing the other woman. Her body immediately protested the loss of contact, especially after being apart for so many days, but Abby forced herself to keep her distance. She didn't want to do something that Ziva might regret as the trauma of today faded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Tony already took my statement."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know. But, I..." Ziva shook her head. "Not now. Not yet."

Abby tried not to feel hurt as she nodded and gave Ziva's hands a squeeze. "I'm here for you, whenever you need me."

"I know, Abby. And, I love you for it." She used their joined hands to pull Abby forward and captured her lips in a kiss.

Abby couldn't keep her body from responding. It had been too long. She let out a soft moan and deepened the kiss. Ziva's tongue flicked between her lips, gently brushing against her own before retreating. Reluctantly, Abby pulled back. Tony was in the next room and could walk in on them at any moment. And, as much as she wanted them to be open about their relationship, this was not the time or the way to let their friends know.

She rose from her knees and took a spot next to Ziva on the couch, sitting close but not actually touching, just as Tony came back into the room carrying three steaming mugs. She hoped that he'd found the coffee that Ziva had bought for her because she'd tried some of Ziva's teas and they were really, really gross.

"I found a jar of coffee tucked in the back of the cupboard. I hope it's not too old because I made some for Abby and myself."

Ziva shook her head. "No. I only bought it a few weeks ago."

"Really?" Tony shot her a look out of the corner of his eye as he settled on the couch next to her. The tone in his voice made Abby's stomach flutter and she silently begged him not to pursue this line of questioning.

"Because, if I remember correctly, you don't drink coffee. Which means...you bought it for someone else." There was a playful glint in his eye as he shifted to face Ziva, obviously working up to try and tease the person's identity out of her.

If the situation weren't so complicated, Abby would have commended him. It was probably exactly what Ziva needed right now, a bit of teasing, some banter to get her mind off things. As it was, this was exactly the sort of conversation that Ziva did not need to be having right now.

Abby was trying to figure out a way to distract him when a knock sounded on the door and Tony got up to answer it. His questioning trailed off as he did so. And (thankfully) he didn't bother to pick it back up again as Gibbs and McGee joined them in the living room.

"How are you doing, Ziver?" Gibbs asked, kneeling in front of Ziva much like Abby had. Only instead of giving her a hug he cupped the uninjured side of her face for a moment, his thumb gently stroking her cheek.

"Fine, Gibbs," she said softly.

He looked like he wanted to say more but after a moment he patted her cheek gently and rose to his feet.

"We figured you might be hungry. But, probably wouldn't feel up to cooking. Or going out. So, we brought you dinner." McGee held up a brown bag. "We didn't want to impose or anything. If you want us to go-"

"Sit down, McBabble." Tony grabbed the bag from his hands and peeked inside. "Chinese food. And from the good place." He dropped the bag unceremoniously onto the table. "I'll go get us some forks. And plates."

Ziva's lips curved up in a faint smile. "Thank you, McGee That was very sweet."

Tony dissapeared into the kitchen and Abby heard him rattling around through cupboards and drawers. "I'll go help him."

It took a few minutes and some jostling but soon they were all settled around Ziva's living room, plates balanced on their laps as they ate. Conversation swirled around, light banter and joking and Tony's boasting. It seemed to be exactly what Ziva needed. She lost that shell-shocked expression and some of that haunted look faded from her eyes. But, Abby could tell that she was still feeling the hurt of her father's betrayal. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, her laugh wasn't quite as loud and she was pretty quiet. She spoke when spoken to but for the most part sat back and let the conversation and laughter go on around her.

After dinner, Gibbs cleared their plates away and even washed up. Tony flipped through channels on the tv, looking for a movie for them to watch as he and McGee bickered back and forth. It was a familiar scene, all of them over at Ziva's house for dinner but not one they had partaken in for awhile. Not in the last month or so, at least. Certainly not since she and Ziva had gotten serious. And Abby had to admit that it was strange to be here in Ziva's apartment, a place that was as familiar and comfortable to her as her own and pretend to be nothing more than friends

They had cooked meals here. They had talked and laughed and shared here. They had made love and spent lazy Sunday mornings in bed here. They had been building a life together within these walls and to not be able to acknowledge it felt dishonest and awkward.

"Are you okay?"

Abby glanced up to find Ziva studying her carefully.

"I should be asking you that."

"And you have, about five times tonight," Ziva said with a faint grin. "Now I am asking you, Abigail."

"Hey, no using the full first name."

"And no reflecting."

"Deflecting." The correction came automatically.

"Abby."

"I'm fine. Just tired." That wasn't quite a lie. She hadn't had a good nights sleep since Ziva left for Israel and she was exhausted.

"You should go lie down." Ziva nodded her head in the direction of her bedroom.

"Don't you think that would look a little...unusual?" Abby questioned. And though she tried, she was unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice. She knew that Ziva was trying, that she had overcome a lot to be with Abby and that she would, in time, be comfortable enough to be open about their relationship. But, sometimes the waiting was hard. Being secretive and hiding the fact that she was insanely in love was not in Abby's nature.

Ziva frowned and Abby's insides twisted in guilt.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"I think you did."

"Look, I'm fried, okay. And I'm tired and cranky because I've gotten so used to falling asleep with you in my arms and I couldn't do that while you were gone."

"Hey, what are you two whispering about over there?" Tony, who was seated in the armchair across from them, glanced over at them with a raised eybrow.

"I am trying to convince Abby that if she is tired, she should go lie down." Ziva said, a hint of defiance in her voice, as if daring Tony to take issue with her statement.

"Good idea. Are you going to give her a kiss and tuck her in?" he asked, giving them both a leer.

Abby couldn't help but laugh.

"You would like that, Tony?" Ziva asked, a smirk playing across her lips.

"Uh-huh."

"Ziva," Abby warned. She knew that expression. That tone.

Ziva leaned in close, then cast a glance over her shoulder at Tony, who was leaning forward in his chair, avidly watching.

"Ziva."

She could feel Ziva's breath brush across her lips as she leaned in further. "I want to tell them," Ziva said softly.

Abby pulled back, startled. "What?"

"I want to tell them about us."

"Like, right now?"

"It is as good a time as any."

Abby sat back on the couch, her head spinning. She had not expected that right now. And, after everything that Ziva had been through in the last few days, she wasn't sure that she should be making decisions like that right now. As much as Abby wanted their relationship to be out in the open she knew that the idea of it was a struggle for Ziva.

"I think we need to talk about this."

Ziva's brow furrowed and a frown tugged at the corners of her lips. "I thought this was what you wanted?"

"It was. It is but..." she trailed off and glanced across the room at Tony and McGee, who were trying to listen and not even pretending they weren't.

She stood abruptly, almost knocking Ziva off the couch as she did.

"We need a moment," she told the guys as she grabbed Ziva's wrist and pulled her up the led her across the room to the kitchen.

"Can you give us a minutet?" she asked Gibbs, who was lingering around the coffee maker waiting for it to finish making his coffee.

He glanced back and forth between the two of them. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," Abby assured him, shooing him from the room. "We just need to have a private conversation."

Gibbs nodded and slipped past her out of the room.

"Just a little lovers quarrel, boss." Tony's voice carried from the living room. As did his protest when Gibbs smacked him upside the head.

Now that they were alone, Abby turned to face Ziva. "Are you sure about this? Because once we-"

"If you would just let me explain."

Abby fell silent and nodded.

"My father showed me who he really is today. As did Gibbs and Tony and McGee. Do you know what Gibbs did when he got to the scene today? He hugged me. He took one look at those two guys laying bleeding on the floor and the bruises on my face and he hugged me. My father, he would have berated me for letting them get a hit in." Ziva's lips twisted in a bitter smile. "Well, he would have if he had not been the one to order them to attack me. The point is, Gibbs acted more like a father to me today than my own flesh and blood. And Tony's been sweet and caring all afternoon. And McGee..."she trailed off and let out a sigh. "You guys are my family. And after everything that has happened in the last few days I just want to tell someone that I know will be happy for us."

Abby studied Ziva carefully and after a moment realized that she truly meant what she was saying. Somehow, everything that had happened with her father had made her finally see what Abby had been trying to convince her of all along.

"So?"

Abby slid her grip from Ziva's wrist to her hand and laced their fingers together. "If you're sure you're ready."

"I have never been more sure," Ziva said, stepping close and rising up on her tiptoes to brush a gentle kiss against Abby's lips.


	21. Chapter 21

**For all disclaimers see Chapter 1.**

livmissy Thanks. Yes, he is. But he wouldn't be Tony if he wasn't.

Special Agent Stace Yeah, I'm starting to run out of ideas. But it was a fun story to write. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.

Moon FireStar I think Eli took it the only way he knows how to take bad news. Thanks for taking a chance on this story and this pairing. There are a lot of good Abby/Ziva stories out there.

_Tonya S _ lol. Well, I've got a couple more chapters left, so hopefully I'll be able to put a silly grin on your face at least once more. Thanks for reading and commenting.

The trip Ziva took in "Nine Lives" was in my head when I was writing these past few chapters. And yes, this is the point in which the story stops following cannon. I had an idea on how to work the whole Rifkin situation in but it took the characters in a direction I didn't like so I'm doing it this way instead.

ladygoddess8 I took awhile, but Ziva finally got there. Thanks for reading/replying.

ttandme69 I know, I'm horrible. I left you hanging. But, hopefully this chapter will make the wait worth it.

marshmeg Well, welcome to the story. I'm glad that you took a chance on the story, even it was out of sheer boredom. If it brought you to my story, I'll take it. As someone who's coming to the story from another perspective, I'm glad that you find them to be in character and believable. It was a stretch, making some of the scenes Abby/Ziva centric, the show doesn't have them interacting much but that's what was fun about it.

neoniloveyou Yeah, sometimes family is what you create it to be. Thanks for reading/commenting.

**Chapter 21**

Abby caught the look Gibbs gave their joined hands when they returned to the living room. It was quick, the barest of downward glances but Abby saw him do it all the same. Just as she saw that neither Tony or McGee seemed to notice at all. It was a familiar site after all, Abby leading someone around by the hand or wrist, they'd all experienced it at one point or another. If they had been paying attention, however, they would have realized that Abby wasn't gripping Ziva's wrist, nor was she clasping the other woman's hand in her own but rather their fingers were laced together. And if they had been paying attention they might start to get an inkling that something was up, maybe they would be able to anticipate the news that she and Ziva were about to share. But of course, they weren't paying attention. And Abby was fighting a grin thinking of the shock they would receive at this news.

"Hey, down in front," Tony complained, tossing a handful of popcorn at them when they stopped in front of the television. "The movie's about to start."

"I think you are going to want to hear this so much more than you want to see the beginning of a movie you have probably already seen a dozen times before."

Something in Ziva's tone captured Tony's attention and he leaned forward, elbows resting against his knees. "I'm all ears."

"What's going on guys?" McGee asked, glancing back and forth between the two of them.

Abby glanced over at Ziva, checking one last time that she was in fact ready. Ziva nodded almost imperceptibly and gave her hand a faint squeeze.

"Ziva and I have something to tell you."

"Yeah, we gathered that," McGee said. "What is it?"

Abby let out a sigh and rolled he eyes. Leave it to McGee to take all the drama out of their anouncement. "Okay, fine," she huffed. "Ziva and I have been seeing each other."

She had expected some sort of reaction, surprise or shock or something but they all just sat there, staring blankly at her. She glanced over at Ziva, who shrugged.

"Did you hear me? I said-"

"We heard you, Abby. It's just taking me a moment to process it," McGee interrupted. "You mean like-"

"You guys are doing the nasty?" Tony interjected. "The horizontal tango? The double backed-"

"We got it." McGee cut him off.

"That is so hot."

"Stop picturing it." Gibbs, who had been silent up to this point finally spoke. Then punctuated his words with a sharp smack to the back of Tony's skull. Tony gave a yelp and then fell silent.

"It figures that would be what you would focus on, Tony." Ziva rolled her eyes at her partners reaction.

"Hey, I'm a guy."

"McGee is a guy and I do not see him salivating at the thought of two women together."

"Oh, trust me, he is. He's just too much of a McDork to say anything."

"Hey. I'm not. I mean...I.." McGee stuttered a response then fell silent, probably realzing there was no good way for him to defend himself.

"You know Tony," Ziva began, leaning in conspiratorily. "What you are imagining in that sick, twisted head of yours..." she continued in a low whisper

"Yeah?"

"What Abby and I do is so, so much better."

Tony flopped back into his chair, his eyes glazed over and Abby almost doubled over with laughter.

"And that, Ziva, is more information that I ever cared to hear," Gibbs said.

Abby felt Ziva tense beside her at his words. Obviously she had not noticed the faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. Abby squeezed her hand reassuringly but Ziva didn't respond.

"I am sorry, Gibbs. I-"

He waved her apology aside as he rose from his seat and stepped over to them. He put a hand on each of their shoulders and glanced back and forth between the two of them. "I'm happy for you. But please, keep what you do in the bedroom _in _the bedroom."

Beside her, Ziva seemed to sag with relief. "Of course, Gibbs."

He turned his gaze to Abby, who couldn't resist giving him a cheeky smile before also agreeing.

"Thank you." He pressed a gentle kiss to Abby's cheek and then dipped his head and brushed a kiss against Ziva's forehead.

His expression turned serious as he stepped back though. "Ziva, can I talk to you for a moment?" He nodded in the direction of the kitchen.

"Whatever you have to say to Ziva, you can say to me." Abby gave him a warning look.

Gibbs gave a soft sigh, "It's a matter of some sensitivity." He gave Abby a look right back "About your father," he added quietly as he turned to Ziva.

"It is fine, Gibbs. Abby and I have no secrets."

"What about them?" he asked, jerking his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the guys, who were both leaning forward, trying to listen in on their quiet conversation.

"They will likely find out about it anyway."

"Okay." Gibbs shrugged. And when he spoke again, his voice was at a normal level. "The attack today, that was your father wasn't it?"

Ziva nodded. "Yes. I told him about Abby and I. And he sent me a message."

"A message? They could have killed you," Abby protested.

"No. They were skilled, yes. But not skilled enough. They could not have killed me."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know how my father operates. If he wanted me dead, he would have sent an assasin after me. I would have been dead before I even knew someone was after me. No, this was just his way of showing me that he is dissapointed in me and reminding me that he can get to me, if he wants to."

Abby stared at her in shock, amazed that she could talk about this so calmly. There was compartmentalizing and then there was robotic.

"Do you think a message is all he's interested in?"

Gibbs' question sent gooebumps shivering down Abby's spine. "Oh, God, Ziva what if he decided to-"

"He will not. He delivered his message. I delivered mine."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because, even estranged, I am more useful to him alive than dead. Not to mention the fact that I took out an insurance policy years ago. If anything should happen to me that is even remotely suspicions, a lot of very damaging information on my father will go public."

"Not to mention that if he did do something, Gibbs would put a bullet between his eyes," Tony added.

"I'm sure he's aware of that as well," Gibbs agreed.

Abby glanced over at Ziva to see how she was taking this.

"I am sure he is," Ziva murmured softly, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite the seriousness of the discussion. She glanced over at Abby, who noticed that her eyes shone with emotion.

It was a strange world Abby lived in where the thought of death threat made her girlfriend smile. But she knew that it wasn't so much the threat as the implications behind it that made Ziva's face light up like that.


	22. Chapter 22

**For all disclaimers, see Chapter 1.**

**Rating: R**

**Author's Note:** All right guys, this is it, the final chapter. As much fun as I've had writing this story, I really think that I've done all that I can with these characters in this situation.

So I thank you all for your lovely comments and your encouragments and for sticking with me from the beginning to the end. Your replies literally make my day.

Special Agent Stace. I always love getting pieces of a chapter quoted back to me. That's when I know I've done a good job. lol. Yeah, everyone except Tiva fans, McAbby fans, Abby/Gibbs fans, Gibbs/Abby fans etc, etc. I'm flattered that you don't want the story to end, it means a lot that you'd say that. But it must. Thank you for reading and replying.

livmissy I'm sure it's a relief for them both to have it out there. But remember, Gibbs already knew. He just had to pretend he didn't.

Thanks for reading and taking the time to reply.

ladygoddess8 I think it's safe to assume Ziva won't be dropping dead at any point in the near future.

Thanks for reading/replying.

ttandme69 Thanks.

**Chapter 22**

As much as Abby loved spending time with the others she was glad when they left around eleven that night. It had been days since she and Ziva had seen each other and Abby was craving some time alone with her. It had been nice to be able to hold Ziva's hand and sit with her arm around her on the couch after they'd "come out" to the team but it wasn't the same as being able to hold her the way she could when they were alone. And she most definitely needed more of a kiss than the one they'd stolen when Tony was in the kitchen.

As the door swung shut behind the last guest Abby couldn't help but think how nice it felt to be on this side of the door when it closed, staying here rather than leaving with the others. And she was glad that they had made their announcemnt tonight because she wasn't sure she could have handled hugging Ziva goodbye as if they were nothing more than friends and leaving with the others.

She also couldn't help but think that there was a sort of symetry to things. It had been a night just like this, the team over at Ziva's for dinner, that had started them on their path to friendship and now at another dinner they'd announced that they were a couple.

"Alone at last," Abby said, flipping the lock on the door and then turning to loop her arms around Ziva's waist. It felt wonderful to hold the other woman close like this, after so many days of barely even being able to talk with her let alone touch her.

"We have the entire night," Ziva agreed, her arms coming up to drape over Abby's shoulders.

They stood that way for a long, quiet moment, both of them readjusting to the feel of the others body against their own.

"I'm sorry about your father." Abby eventually broke the silence with a soft whisper.

"I know. Thank you."

"Maybe he'll come around," she added, hoping but not really believing that maybe this was just a knee jerk reaction and eventually Eli would see the mistake he had made and seek his daughter's forgiveness. It was unlikely but not completely unheard of.

Her own father had not taken the news that Abby was bi-sexual very well. Their relationship had been strained for years. It had been just starting to get better before he died, a fact that she was incredibly greatful for. She didn't know how she would have coped if they had still been on bad terms at the time of his death. But, there had still been a fair amount of tension and uneasyness between them and she would always feel sad that they hadn't gotten a chance to resolve it.

"Maybe," Ziva murmured as she burrowed deeper into Abby's shoulder. She didn't sound convinced that it was likely.

Abby was glad that at least Ziva had Gibbs. Sure, she had Tony and McGee and Abby and Jimmy and Ducky as well, but Gibbs could be the father that she lacked. In the three years Ziva had been with them he'd certainly done a hell of a lot better job looking after her than her own father had.

Things were going to be rough on Ziva for the next little while, she was going to need a lot of love and support and hugs and reassurances. She was going to need stability and security.

"Move in with me," Abby blurted before she really had a chance to consider or possibly censor her words.

Ziva drew back to look at her, brow furrowed and a faint frown tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Not that I'm saying you have to give up your apartment and move into my place. We could live here," Abby continued, the words coming in a breathless rush. "Or we could find a new place. I mean.."

"Abby, I-."

Abby felt her heart stutter and she trailed off.

"I'm sorry, am I being to forward? Is this moving too fast?"

Ziva cut her off with a quick kiss and when she pulled back she chuckled lightly. "I would like that, I think," she said, a smile playing on her lips. "Perhaps we could go apartment hunting this weekend?"

"Really? You mean it?"

"Yes. I mean it."

Abby let out a whoop and pulled Ziva to her in a crushing hug, complete with a quick twirl that brought the smaller woman's feet off the ground for a brief moment. By the time she set Ziva back down they were both laughing.

"God, I love you, so much," Abby said as she loosened her grip. But she didn't let go completely, she kept her hands resting lightly against Ziva's back. And she used that hold to pull Ziva closer as she tilted her head down to capture Ziva's lips for a kiss.

It started off slow and sweet and quickly built in intensity, almost a weeks worth of want and need simmering just beneath the surface.

Abby could feel her body responding the the close contact and the kiss. Ziva's body pressed tight against hers started a fire in her belly that spread upwards and outwards. The gentle pressure of Ziva's fingers kneading the back of her neck sent shivers down her spine and her tongue sliding against Abby's left her knees weak and her breathing ragged.

"Bedroom, now," she suggested or maybe demanded as she stepped backwards towards the bedroom and drew Ziva along with her.

Ziva allowed herself to be led but she didn't make it easy for Abby. Her lips roamed across Abby's neck in a series of light kisses and nips that were quite distracting and made it difficult to maneuver around the furniture in the living room and down the hallway. She bumped into a wall or two and she she was most likely going to have a bruise on her thigh from where she'd hit it on the corner of a bookcase but Abby barely noticed any of that. Ziva overwhelmed all her senses. She was only aware of the feel of lips against her throat, the sensations caused by hands sliding beneath her shirt and skimming across her skin. Ziva's fingers traced patterns along her back and down her sides, then slid up between them to cup her breast through the fabric of her bra. Abby's steps faltered and she stumbled into the wall behind her, pulling Ziva tight against her as she arched into the touch. She moaned when Ziva pulled her hands away.

"Ziva," she pleaded, protested against the other woman's lips. Then she felt hands at her hips and the shirt being worked up her body.

They parted long enough for Ziva to pull it over her head and toss the garmet aside. And then Ziva's lips were crashing against hers, teeth nipping, tongue searching.

And they were moving again, faltering steps down the last few feet of the hallway and into the bedroom.

Her back of her legs hit the bed and she lowered herself down onto it, pulling Ziva down with her. She reveled in the feel of Ziva's weight above her, pressed against her, pushing her down into the mattress.

She closed her eyes and let her head fall back as Ziva's lips left her own and coursed a path down her neck, wet, hot kisses trailed across her throat and teeth nipped gently at the sensative skin just above her collarbone.

She slid her hands beneath Ziva's shirt and traced her fingers across her back, feeling the soft skin stretched across hard muscles that tremored under her touch then coursed a path along Ziva's side and between their bodies to stroke her stomach and then trailed upwards towards the underside of her breast, which she cupped with her hand then ran her thumb across the nipple.

Suddenly, the thin cotton t-shirt that Ziva was wearing was a nusiance and a barrier and Abby wanted nothing more than to have it off. She slid her hand out from beneath the fabric and took hold of the bottom of the shirt.

Catching on to her intent, Ziva sat up to pull the shirt off over her head. Abby's body protested the loss of contact yet marveled at the site of Ziva naked from the waist up and straddling her hips.

"So beautiful," Abby murumred, her hands coming up to touch, to caress.

It was then, in the low light of the bedroom that she noticed the mottled bruises on Ziva's ribs and side.

"Ziva, you're hurt." Her fingers gently traced the injury.

"It is nothing."

"It's not nothing." Even in the dim light from the bedside table she could see that the bruising was pretty severe.

She started to sit up but Ziva put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down. "I assure you, Abby, I am fine."

Abby was well versed in the ways Ziva downplayed her injuries and she'd seen enough broken ribs in her line of work to know what someone looked like when they had one.

Of course, she also knew from experience how painful that was. And Ziva didn't seem to be feeling any pain. That was probably just the shock and adrenaline from today's events.

"You could have internal bleeding."

"An EMT checked me out at the scene. He assured me that it was nothing to worry about."

"What, exaclty, did he say?" she asked.

Ziva was quiet for just long enough so that Abby knew that he had said much more than, "you're fine". He'd probably told her to take it easy, keep ice on the bruises and not strain herself and that she would be fine.

"Please, Abby. I need this. I need you, tonight."

There was something about the way she said it, a vulnerablility that she rarely let into her voice that had Abby relenting.

"You're going to be in a lot of pain tomorrow," Abby warned, but it was a half-hearted protest. She couldn't deny Ziva anything, especially not something that she so very obviously needed.

Gently she eased Ziva off her, pushing her down onto the bed on her back and settled her body over her, being careful to keep her weight off Ziva's injuries. She supported herself on her knees and one arm, the other free to roam across Ziva's body as she said, "I want you to just lie back and let me do all the work,"

The words were murmured against Ziva's lips before she captured them with her own.

She slid her hand across Ziva's stomach and tugged at the waistband of her jeans, popping the buttons open and sliding the material down over her hips in one fluid motion.

She ran her fingers through Ziva's curls as she plundered her mouth with her tongue. Ziva moaned into her mouth and lifted her hips towards the pressure of Abby's hand.

She started a gentle massage, fingers lightly grazing, palms gently rubbing and Ziva's body rocked with the motion.

"Please. Abby."

Ziva's hands came up to clutch at Abby's back, her blunt nails digigng into skin, scratching and sliding and scrabbling for purchase as Abby slid a finger inside her.

It was Abby's turn to moan as she felt her digit being sucked into the wet heat. She added another finger and then a third, feeling the slick velvet walls tighten and throb against her hand. She slowly pumped in and out, pressing her thumb against Ziva's clit on every other stoke.

She could feel the tension building in Ziva's body, could tell she was close to the edge by the way her muscles grew taunt and her writhing became more frenzied. Her cries became hoarse, more gutteral.

Abby raised her head up to watch Ziva as she found release.

They lay together afterwards, a tangle of arms and legs, sweat still cooling on their skin. Ziva way lying on her back and Abby was on her side next to her, arms around her waist, leg draped across her hip and head resting against Ziva's shoulder.

She could feel sleep creeping up to take her but she was resisting it for the moment. She wasn't quite ready to drift off into some state of unaware, unable to feel the rythmn of Ziva's heart beneath her ear or the faint whisp of her breath across her cheek or the gentle pressure of fingers running up and down her arm.

"Abby?" Ziva's voice was quiet, gentle in the darkness that enveloped them.

"Yeah?"

"Marry me."

Abby's head came up and she peered at Ziva in the dim light. "What?" Certainly she'd heard wrong.

"Marry me."

A million reasons why they shouldn't came to mind. Statistics about the state of most marriages rolled through her head.

And she looked over at Ziva and gave the only answer she could. "Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

THE END

And they lived happily ever after. Okay, maybe not quite but it's pretty safe to say that these two have a loving, stable relationship.


End file.
